Exercise & brain health
Brain health has been a centralized focus in the fitness world recently. My inquisition has sent me down rabbit holes of podcasts, books, control studies and several articles from different Neuroscientists explaining their opinions on the matter. So instead of listening to my philosophy professor rant about determinism and free will I am writing this to express my fascination :)
Neuroscience: the neuroscience of fitness dives into the topic of how frequent exercise affects our brain and nervous system. Frequent exercise is responsible for the development of new neurons (Neurogenesis). The birth of these new neurons primarily take place within the hippocampus which is responsible for influencing memory, learning new skills, and increasing mood regulators. These regulators are non other than the big three dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. These chemicals play an essential role in mood regulating, alertness, and focus. Aerobic exercise such as running, jump rope ;), and swimming not only forms new neurons in the hippocampus but it’s also known to increase in size. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a protein that supports the growth, survival, and differential of new neurons. Enhanced levels of BDNF has shown to improve memory and cognitive function along with additional memory and learning support.
A randomized control trial conducted by the National Library of Medicine found that regular aerobic activity increased hippocampus volume by 2% and reversed age loss by 1-2 years. Aerobic exercise naturally enhances cardiovascular function, which in return increases blood flow to the brain. More blood flow = more oxygen and more nutrients being delivered. According to an article published by Harvard Health people ages 65 and older without genetic predisposition to Alzheimers who exercised 4x a week had about half the risk of dementia as those who were sedentary.
Sleep quality: is a critical factor on the subject of brain health. Regular exercise enhances the quality of your sleep, particularly the slow wave sleep. Slow wave sleep is another terminology for stating “deep sleep”. Deep sleep allows for the removal of toxins that develop in your brain throughout the day. The removal of these toxins is called Glymphatic Drainage. Think of your brain like an air filter on a car, bike or on your a/c unit. Everyday the filter (brain) collects dirt (toxins) and the only way to get rid of the dirt is to clean it. Deep sleep allows for your brain to clean itself. Aerobic exercise allows for the release of endorphins which is a chemical that helps keep your brain alert. Aerobic exercise allows these endorphins to be released. Charlene Gambado, M.D, the medical director of John Hopkins Centre for sleep states that exercise 1-2 hours before going to bed gives endorphin levels a time to wash out and the “brain time to wind down”. Getting 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise daily can make the difference in sleep quality that same night.
To maximize brain benefits of exercise: you should establish daily movement as a habit. Create exercise as a prescription for not only your physical health but also your mental health. We should be getting at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise every week in order to reap the cognitive benefits. If you are starting from 0, take it slow and add an additional 5-10 minutes of exercise every week. As you start to build this habit you’ll naturally seek more movement and increase the intensity of your workouts the fitter you get. Finally, it takes time to see the results that you desire. Stephen Curry didn’t become the greatest shooter in the league in one night, if you are at a 0 in your fitness, understand it will take time to see and feel the benefits. The little habits you build daily like time away from screens, limiting ultra processed foods, choosing to take the stairs, and choosing the furthest parking spot are all part of the big picture.
“EVERYTHING IS PREPARATION FOR THE BIG PICTURE”
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