We all know about the importance of staying physically active on a regular basis. Exercise helps keep the body in shape and improves your overall physical well-being. However, what many people don’t know is that exercise is also a great way to strengthen the brain. Exercise has the ability to develop the brain in a way that helps with memory and thinking skills. Knowing how exercise affects the brain is essential to understanding how we can improve our mental health.
How Exercise Helps The Brain
What Happens To The Brain During Exercise?
During exercise, when your heart rate increases so does the blood flow to the brain. This leads to higher levels of oxygen and nutrients being delivered to the brain. These higher levels allow the brain to work at it’s full potential and can improve cognitive thinking in the long run. Additionally, exercising induces the release of beneficial proteins. The release of these chemicals and proteins promotes brain cell maintenance, growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the survival of new brain cells. Combined, these effects of exercise can improve the mental health of an individual.
Indirect Benefits
Some indirect benefits from exercise that affect the brain are improved mood & sleep, and reduced stress & anxiety. Both dopamine and endorphins are released during exercise, which are the chemicals and hormones that make you feel happy. Not only does your brain produce these feel-good chemicals with exercise but it is also able to get rid of the chemicals that induce stress and anxiety. Regular exercise can be therapeutic for many individuals who experience high levels of stress. Exercise also helps with maintaining healthy sleeping patterns. Being active gives you more energy throughout the day and helps you sleep better at night. This improves mental health as sleep is directly correlated to brain function.
Improved Memory
Physical activity can also help with long-term and short-term memory. The daily increase of oxygen to the brain while exercising helps keep the mind sharp and can reduce the risk of disorders that cause memory loss. Regular exercise can also increase the volume of the hippocampus over time, a key part of the brain’s memory networks. Because of this, exercise is especially important for kids and young adults since the brain is still in development.
Feel Your Best Physically And Mentally
Exercise has the ability to improve the health of our bodies and minds, something that is necessary to stay feeling our best as we age. However, different ailments or injuries can sometimes get in the way of that. At BioCure, we understand that the body and mind work in unison which is why we believe in maintaining overall health to ensure that you are always feeling your best and living life at your full potential. If you seek treatment for joint pain relief or any orthopedic condition, we provide regenerative medicine options to promote healing, restoration and rejuvenation.
