Exercise is Good for Your Brain
September 15, 2009
Exercise is the best way to combat the memory loss associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions associated with cognitive decline. Maintaining social interactions, playing cards or chess, computer games or doing cross-word puzzles will enable you to maintain good mental condition. Brain exercises can bring about modest benefits.
Many observational studies have also suggested that in order to minimize the risk of cognitive decline and maintain memory you must take up physical activity of some kind. There are several benefits of exercise on cognitive function. A study comprising 1,740 men and women from Seattle found that the risk associated with dementia was reduced by 38 times in those who took up some form of physical activity a week when compared to those who exercised lesser than 3 times a week. The study concluded that regular exercise can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer disease.
Another study comprising 3,375 men and women revealed that those who involved in the highest level of physical activity had a 50 percent lower chance of developing dementia than those with the lowest level of physical activity.
These studies have however not proved that physical exercise can dramatically lead to changes or preservation of mental function. The results suggest that delay or prevention on the onset of dementia and healthier aging can occur owing to regular physical or mental exercise.
Also exercise can make a person happy. Studies have showed that those who are physically active enjoy good mental health and recover from mild depression more quickly. Depression is largely associated with low levels of certain neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and serotonin. Concentrations of these neurotransmitters can be stimulated through exercise as it stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. It also leads to enhance mood levels. You can start making exercise more pleasurable by doing what feels good, focusing on a time habit, tracking your mood on exercise and non-exercise days and enjoying the way your body functions and the way movements make you feel.
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