The following guest post is brought to us by local guest blogger Rebecca of the blogs Relish and Everything is ticketyboo!
Exercise Good for the Brain
As regular readers of my blog know, when I am not blogging or eating (or blogging about eating), I work full-time as a communications gal and part-time as a fitness instructor. It’s the perfect balance for me – 50% cerebral and 50% physical. You would think that it’s my day job that keeps me sharp, but it’s actually the stuff I do at the gym.
Physical exercise is so good for the brain, and in more ways than you’d think. Sure there are the obvious benefits, like decreased stress and increased energy, but there are many more reasons why being active is the best thing that you can do for your noggin.
My Happy Place
No matter how low my mood, I can always get a lift from exercising; whether it’s something soothing, like yoga, or high-intensity like a spin class. I think part of it is getting the chance to put aside my worries and concentrating on something that is good for me, but there is some actual science to it, too.
During exercise (as well as excitement, pain and, yes, sex), the body and brain release endorphins, which block pain and give a feeling of euphoria, aka “the runners high.” (They are said to not be addictive, but tell that to anyone who gets hooked on the rush of a good workout.)
If you feel like you are about to hit a wall (mentally), go for a brisk walk, skip rope, or do a few push-ups or burpees. You would be amazed by how little it takes to perk yourself up.
Pump it UP
Your weekly routine should include some aerobic activity, but you already knew that, didn’t you? Now you can say you are doing it for your cardiovascular- AND your mental-health.
Increasing your heart rate gets more blood pumping to the brain. Not only is that blood bringing more oxygen, and carries with it hormones which stimulate the growth of brain cells (and repair damaged ones!)
How do you get that heart of yours going (besides watching Daniel Craig flicks?) Try rowing, running, spinning, step-class, Zumba…
Plastic-what-now?
Have you seen the commercials for the video games that make you smarter? You know, the ones with the nerdy-looking folks throwing around big words like “neuroplasticity” and “cognitive functions.” The idea behind this is that you can actually get smarter by stimulating your brain. Well, duh.
Guess what? Exercise does that, too. Save your money, turn off your laptop, and choose an exercise that emphasizes coordination, agility, rhythm and strategy – like weight- or circuit-training. If you want to get the family involved, try a game of badminton or a couple laps around an obstacle course.
Golden Girls
This, to me, is one of the coolest (and right up there with the most important) reasons to exercise: weight-bearing and resistance training exercises can help stave off dementia in older adults, and – get this – especially women.
In a study at UBC, 70 to 80 year old women with mild cognitive impairment who were put on a strength training program showed “significant” improvement in brain function and cognitive performance. 70 to 80 year olds!
So, what does that tell us? First of all, exercise is awesome, and, secondly, every little bit helps. Even at age 73. (Of course, anyone starting an exercise program should seek the help of a trainer and check with their doctor.)
For those of us who are in our 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s… NOW is the perfect time to be active. Research shows that any activity that can benefit your heart can also benefit your brain, so don’t over-think it (ha!), just get out there and MOVE.
Be Well…Rebecca
Rebecca is a Certified Spinning Instructor, fitness instructor, blogger (Relish and Everything is ticketyboo! ), artist, reluctant morning person, and notorious killer-of-plants. She lives in a foliage-free home with her teenage son, Jacob.
