It’s no surprise that exercise supports a healthy brain. Not only does working out provide incredible immediate benefits like boosting your mood, clearing your mind and boosting your post-workout mood, but it can also improve your long-term cognitive health and function. Because of this, it causes some remarkable things in the brain.
“In general, exercise is probably the best thing you can do for your brain,” says Dr. Matthew Staltz-Kollehmeinen, FACSM, exercise physiologist and exercise researcher at Yale New Haven Hospital. “In fact, some researchers believe that the brain’s first function was to help people move.”
The positive associations between physical exercise and brain health, that is, mental health and mood management, memory and executive function, and prevention of degenerative brain diseases, are important topics of research and discussion. We have learned a lot about the actual structural brain changes that occur during exercise. These include changes in brain volume and connectivity, the amount of oxygen delivered to brain tissue, and neuroplasticity (how neurons grow, change, and communicate). Included in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a protein essential for the maintenance and creation of neurons) and others.
Researchers and doctors are now digging deeper to figure out exactly how much exercise is needed and what kind of exercise is ideal for optimal brain health. Exercise is certainly better than exercise, but the best strategy for maximizing exercise for brain health is an ever-evolving topic.
How long should you exercise for brain health?
According to the World Health Organization, the current general recommendation for amount and duration of exercise is 50 minutes of exercise three times a week, said Steven M. Rao, director of the Shea Cognitive Neuroimaging Center at the Cleveland Clinic. says Dr. The exact prescription of the ideal intensity and type of exercise to perform in those few minutes is still being extensively researched.
“A good time to finish the exercise is when you feel you have some energy left,” says Startz-Kollehmeinen. This means you don’t have to train in a completely exhausting way. If so, you may actually be overworked, at least in terms of brain benefits: “Cerebral blood flow seems to peak at 60-70% of oxygen uptake and then decline.” he says. translation? Exercising at about 60-70% of maximal effort seems to have a very positive effect on the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for cognition, short-term memory and executive function. Extra effort seems to diminish the effects of exercise on the brain.
It’s important to note that everyone is starting from a different location. People who had a sedentary lifestyle with little or no regular physical activity could start exercising for as little as 10 minutes each day, as well as more active people who exercised regularly. / You can experience the empirical effects of exercise on an individual. half an hour.The point is where to start you Because steps from zero to 10 minutes can have a very positive effect on your brain. Once you reach a physical point where you can handle more, make things a little harder or work out a little longer to make more progress and challenge your brain.
Different types of exercise have been found to affect different brain functions. Almost all exercise has some benefit, even if it’s just to help reduce the stress that chronically harms the brain. is. One well-known exercise and brain health study investigated the effects of different exercise modalities on brain health over different periods of time. They found that the brain receives different benefits from different types of exercise. When Regardless of the type of exercise, over time (weeks, months, years, days), your brain can benefit in many ways.
The best way to exercise for brain health
While it’s difficult to prescribe a one-size-fits-all fitness strategy for everyone, these are a few things to keep in mind and help inform your workout routine. There’s a lot of research showing that can be superior to stretching, toning, and even strength training (again, in the context of training your brain).
Also, “the more demanding exercise is, the more demanding it is on the brain,” says Startz-Kollehmeinen. This can be in the form of exercises that require multiple steps (such as tai chi or dance) or types of exercises that require enough attention to avoid getting bored or going into autopilot mode. However, there is a fine line. You’ll want to find a workout that’s engaging enough to keep you engaged without being irritatingly demanding to throw in the towel.
Variety and novelty are also important for brain fitness in general. So diversifying your exercise routine, mixing up workouts, and challenging yourself to learn new activities can sharpen your brain and fire new neurons.
Try planning a week of exercise that includes different modalities. A few days of gym machine cardio, interspersed with yoga workouts, and a day or two of strength training with weights or resistance bands.
But at the end of the day, Starts-Kollehmeinen repeats what many fitness experts, doctors, and researchers are saying.
Here are 5 types of exercise that offer healthy benefits for your brain.
dance
Don’t skip that Zumba or Salsa class! Dancing is not only fun, liberating and physically demanding, it’s also great for your brain. Several studies, including one published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have shown that dancing may reduce the risk of dementia.
“Humans thrive on novelty,” says Stults-Kolehmainen. So it makes sense that dancing is a good refresher for the brain, he says.
Hate dancing in public? Access online streaming platforms like Obé and Sculpt Society offering dance cardio, dance-infused full-body fitness, and more.
cycling
Outdoor cycling appears to benefit cognitive function in people over the age of 50. Studies have shown that indoor interval training cycling can also benefit people with Parkinson’s disease. Rao is currently conducting a clinical trial in high-risk sedentary patients aged 65 to 80, and has shown that using the Peloton Bike three times a week for 30 minutes each time improves brain health. It is evaluating whether it improves and slows the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“We hope and hypothesize that movement will decrease [negative] It’s a change in the brain,” says Rao. “The reason is that exercise is neuroprotective and reduces the amount of inflammation in the brain. Alzheimer’s changes are clearly exacerbated by inflammation.”
interval training
Interval training (workouts that alternate between two activities or two levels of intensity) has been shown to increase BDNF (a key protein in neuronal function), which aids in learning and memory. But finding that sweet spot—getting a good workout without overtaxing or draining your system—is key.
You’ve probably heard of HIIT, which stands for high-intensity interval training and is usually a one-on-one (or sometimes two-on-one) workout that alternates between very exhausting exercises and several cycles of recovery. -Recovery rate. Some studies have shown positive effects of one minute of high-intensity exercise followed by one minute of low-intensity exercise, but for optimal brain benefits, Stultz-Kollehmeinen suggests scaling down each interval to even shorter bursts: 1 minute of jogging, followed by 6 seconds of vigorous running. This way, you get the benefits of interval training without the lactic acid build-up and other negative effects of training. For real difficult.
Don’t worry too much about making your workout super intense, especially if you’re just starting out. Instead, focus on sticking to interval patterns and doing different workouts (eg, walking for 1 minute, jogging for 1 minute). Bonus: Interval training tends to keep you interested longer than straight-up high-intensity training or 45 minutes of moderate movement on the elliptical.
brisk walking
Walking has many great health benefits, but brisk walking has even more amazing effects on your brain. A recent study showed that walking more than 4,000 steps a day has a positive effect on memory in older adults. They are easy to walk, free, sociable, and do not require equipment. A brisk walk in nature is an added bonus if you can get outside.
Tai Chi
Combining balance and control, breath and body coordination, and a variety of movements, Tai Chi is another valuable exercise for your brain. Research has shown that this age-old meditative practice promotes cognitive growth and memory, mood regulation and stress reduction. Tai Chi is less taxing and less stressful on the joints, making it ideal for the elderly and those new to exercise. You can also do it outdoors under the guidance of an instructor without using any equipment.
