The Power of Exercise: Brain Boosting Benefits

For decades, we have known that physical activity is great for our bodies and minds, but recent research is undeniable. Regular exercise has a serious impact on our cognitive and mental health in a myriad of ways. Here’s why and how to gain those brain boosting benefits just by moving more.

Associate professor of biomedical science at Florida Atlantic University Dr. Henriette van Praag has been studying exercise and brain health since the late 1990s. Her research with mature mice helped her discover that exercise can spur the growth of new brain cells. Since then, her approach to exercise changed from working out periodically to exercising almost every day and exercising at an intensity that she can feel.

Although the general knowledge linking the benefits of exercise and brain health have been around for years, new research emerges. A 2022 study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that older adults who remain active with exercise have higher levels of brain proteins that enhance connections between neurons, which in turn improves their memory and boosts cognition. This effect was found in all who took part in the study, even in people showing some signs of dementia.

Can exercise cause new neurons to grow in adult humans? At one time thought impossible, the chance of using exercise to treat neurodegenerative diseases is now a possibility. No matter what, activity is excellent for our brain, plus, it helps improve mood and cognition through many cellular changes that exercise brings to our body.

Experts are certain that physical exercise offers short-term boosts in cognition. Studies show that immediately after a bout of physical activity, people perform better on tests with memory and executive functions such as planning, monitoring and successfully executing goals. There’s no doubt a good, sweaty exercise session will boost mood, improve sleep and combat stress both long-term and for minor anxieties we encounter every day.

But the advantages of exercise go even further. A study of more than 18,000 middle-aged and older adults published in the April issue of Journal of Behavioral Medicine showed a strong link between regular physical activity and feeling a greater sense of purpose in life.

That’s right! Exercise can promote a greater sense of self. Study findings were exceptionally significant for seniors in particular because that sense of purpose and activity level tend to decline as we age. Alternatively, keeping a positive outlook has been tied to longevity and a lower risk for Alzheimer’s and heart disease. Feeling like we have a purpose can help us find a suitable combination of physical, mental and emotional well-being that allows older adults thrive.

What exercise is best for brain health? If you haven’t been exercising regularly or took a break for quite some time, just know it is not too late to start. The good news is that the brains of research participants with average ages around 70 were able to reap the benefits of exercise even into the oldest ages. So, the most obvious thing to do is begin! But where?

While experts note that any form and amount of movement is good for our overall well-being, there are some exercises that benefit our brain the best:

Aerobic
Regular aerobic exercise such as walking, running, high intensity exercise boosts blood flow to the brain. It also boosts the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that’s involved in verbal memory and learning,

Strength Training
A 2020 study published in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical found that older adults saw many brain benefits after just six months of strength training. Another study compared balance and tone training to strength training with weights. Pumping iron produced the best results for memory and other cognition measurements.

Tai Chi and Yoga
Tai chi has been shown to enhance cognitive function in older adults, especially in the area of executive functions of planning, focus, problem solving and reasoning. That may be because this martial art uses focused, slow movements that involve learning and memorizing new movement patterns and skills. Yoga studies show that participants have increased verbal and visual-spatial memory after just 12 weeks of regular practice.

Walking
Walk the dog with purpose or stroll around the neighborhood and take note of your route. Memorize that route, then create another. Experts recommend rotating through the routes every few weeks to boost memory and freshen your exercise routine.

When it comes to boosting brain health, experts say to just keep moving. Staying on our feet as much as possible gives us a much better chance at brain health than sitting or doing light activity. But there’s no need to jump into action if you’ve been sedentary for a while. Instead, talk with a doctor, start slowly and work your way up to body-moving brain-boosting benefits!

Sources: nytimes.com, aarp.org and health.harvard.edu.