By now we all know that Exercise is great for the body. After all, it increases strength, stamina, and longevity; reduces obesity; and reduces the risk of mortality from disease like diabetes and heart disease. New findings are going deeper than that, connecting the mind with the body and elaborating on the benefits of exercise on the brain.

Benefits of exercise on the brain

Here are four benefits of exercise on the brain.

1. Improves memory and overall brain function

Aerobic exercise like running, dancing, bike riding, fast walking, and swimming appear to increase connections in the temporal lobe, the area of the brain that decreases reaction times and promotes vocabulary acquisition.

Other neuroprotective benefits of exercise on the brain include:

• Better memory storage (also related to an increase in the size of the temporal lobe)
• Release of endorphins in the pituitary gland
• Increased level of brain-derived neurotropic factor (maintains and creates adult nerve cells)

Kids who exercise regularly also get a better night’s sleep, which is closely correlated with better performance in school.

2. Boosts brain function

The University of British Columbia found that sweaty, heart-pumping cardiovascular exercise appeared to increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with learning and memory. This result was not found through toning and balance exercises alone.

The benefits of cardiovascular exercise on the brain include decreasing inflammation, fighting insulin resistance, and promoting the release of growth factors in the brain. These growth factors help to build more blood vessels and keep existing brain cells strong and healthy.

Dr. Scott McGinnis, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, pointed out that this can occur at any age:

“Even more exciting is the finding that engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions.”

3. Keeps the brain young

Didn’t exercise enough in your youth? No matter. A research article in the open access journal PLOS Biology has found that long-term aerobic activity started in middle age can help protect your brain from age-related deterioration.

Gareth Howell, Ileana Soto and their colleagues at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine gave mice a running wheel at 12 months of age (the equivalent of middle age) and then examined their brains at 18 months. Eighteen months in mice is an equivalent human age of about 60, when Alzheimer’s and other dementia conditions begin to appear.

Each mouse ran approximately two miles a night, and the changes were profound. Older mice spontaneously acted in the way that younger mice would. It seems that regular, long-term aerobic exercise increases the strength of the blood-brain barrier. Age-related deficits in this barrier have been identified as key causes of dementia. Aerobic exercise appears to strengthen this barrier and keep the brain’s structures young and healthy.

Dr. Howell, one of the study’s authors, elaborated on the benefits of exercise on the brain, even for those who are unable to exercise, noting:

“In this day and age, with so many distractions and conveniences, it is easy to fall into a lifestyle that does not include enough exercise. With an aging population, I hope our study helps in encouraging a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise. For those that are unfortunately unable to exercise, our study provides insight into a possible mechanism by which exercise may benefit the aging brain and may one day lead to improved treatments for age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.”

4. Prevents mental disorders

A study conducted by researchers from Faculty of Sciences for Physical Activity (INEF) and Sport at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) in collaboration with the European University (UEM) found that adults in Spain who regularly participated in physical activity had better mental health than those who did not.

The study looked at people aged 15 to 74, using version two of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire to assess frequency, intensity, and duration of participants’ physical activity. The General Health Questionnaire was then used to evaluate mental health. These two tools in combination were able to ascertain mental disorders and psychological morbidity.

Researchers found that the risk of mental health disorders was reduced by between 54 and 56% among those participants who were deemed “sufficiently active.” The study authors believe that although exactly how this connection is made is still unclear, the connection itself is clear enough to affect recommendations for treatment of mental health disorders.

Getting started with exercise

The best news regarding the benefits of exercise on the brain is that it is never too late to start. The majority of research points to aerobic exercise as the best way to exercise for the brain. In other words, while yoga and other meditative types of exercise can boost mindfulness and keep you calm, it may not be the best way to improve brain health. Mix in some cardiovascular workouts to increase brain strength.

A few good guidelines for finding exercises that benefit the brain include:

• Aim to get sweaty with an elevated heart rate during your workout, no matter what you choose.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily.
• Timing is everything. If you exercise before work you may feel more relaxed and better able to handle the stresses of the day.
• If you find yourself getting bored with repetitive workouts like running or biking, try some circuit training at the gym. This moves you quickly through weight-bearing exercises that get you sweaty but don’t give you time to lose interest.
• Never underestimate the power of jumping jacks. If you find yourself feeling fuzzy-brained or mentally exhausted, stand up and do enough jumping jacks to get your heart moving. You may find this brief aerobic exercise offers enough of a mental and physical boost to get you through the day. This can be especially helpful between 2 and 4 pm, when most people experience a dip in energy.

The benefits of exercise on the brain are clear. Do you exercise your body to help your brain?

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