Exercise And Brain

Exercising or physical activity has both physical and mental benefits. Mostly the main motivators for working out are weight maintenance and strength but it can boost your brainpower too.

We must understand why it is important when it's said to let your kids play.
Physical activity is especially important for youth's developing brains as any form of physical activity produced higher IQ and academic achievement test scores for school-aged children. Just 10min of exercise increased 13-16 years old's concentration and attention.
It not only boosted decision-making skills but also made students confident.
 
But is it limited to children?
Well, any kind of exercise is important for all. It has no barriers of age, body shape, size, and weights as when done it is simply going to be beneficial. And just to mention anything doing in limit is beneficial so unless you don't overdo it n hurt your muscle or in case break your bone or do it in the wrong way :), it is going to be fun and work wonderfully.   
 

“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the heck she is.”

                                                                                            ― Ellen DeGeneres

 
Here is how science proves it.
 
Aerobic training increases connectivity and functional activity of the temporal lobe which is responsible for storing sensory memories which improves learning and mental performance.
It also enhances long-term memory. Just weight lifting for as little as 20 minutes can boost your long-term memory by 10% because exercise releases the stress hormone norepinephrine, a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a strong role in memory.
 
A study of 2012 found that even one exercise session can help you retain physical skills by enhancing what's commonly known as "motor memory" or "muscle memory" which makes a person active, better, faster, and stronger.
Recent research from the University of Illinois shows that the brain's white matter becomes more fibrous and compact with physical exercise. The more streamlined and compact your white matter is the faster and more efficient your brain functions.
 
A study found that higher cardiovascular fitness was associated with better verbal memory and reaction time.
We also found a research study that said walkers improved their brain connectivity up to the level of college-age young adults.
Practicing daily boosts one's creativity states the researchers at Standford university as they found that walking can increase creativity up to 60%.
Twice weekly resistance training positively impacted the response inhibition that is the process which is the ability to filter inappropriate responses during a conversation.
 
Exercise is good for cardiovascular health, which benefits brain functioning as a healthy heart is better at pumping blood and provides oxygen to the brain. A recent study found that older adults were exercised more and whose aorta were in better condition performed better on cognitive tests.
Physically active women who were 65+ years old were less likely to develop cognitive decline.
It helps prevent and treat dementia Alzheimer's and brain aging.
Daily working out reduced sensitivity to stress, depression, and anxiety as it boosts the body's production of PGC -1 alpha, which breaks down depression causing kynurenine and triggers the release of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter.
 
Patients with psychiatric disorders that practiced yoga or walked for at least one hour thrice a week showed higher GABA levels, improved mood, and decreased anxiety. Whereas the group of yoga practisers showed more progress than the walkers.
It reduces the impairment of brain cells and loss of coordination related to Parkinson's disease.
Exercise reduced symptoms in children diagnosed with ADHD.
Exercise increases the production of neurochemicals that promotes brain cell repair.
 
As soon as your heart pumps, your brain chemistry reacts to neurotransmitters almost immediately to get you feeling better both physically and mentally.

· Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) protects the brain from emotional disorders and repairs damage from stress and depression. 
· Both exercise and happiness increase antibody production that are special proteins produced by the immune system to help fight viruses, bacteria, and diseases.
· Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that works with dopamine as a "happy" chemical. it is also critical in the decision-making process.
· Dopamine neurotransmitter is a "happy" chemical. It is responsible for feelings of relaxation and euphoria because it controls the brain's reward and pleasure center 
· It also produces Serotonin that is responsible for feelings of hopefulness and serenity. Low levels are linked to depression SSRI antidepressants increase these levels and so does exercise.
· Endocannabinoids are natural chemical compounds that play a role in processing appetite, pain sensation, mood, and memory which are released when worked out.
 
So after realizing the power of working out or exercising not only physically but mentally too. Don't wait anymore to start because it's too never late. If you are a person who has planned for it for a long but procrastinates or is not able to act, Pain and Pleasure would help you.