HOW EXERCISE CHANGED MY BRAIN PAGES

How Exercise Changed MY BRAIN

By Epic Fit Magazine Contributing Writer Selina Hinojosa Liftbyselina.com

We all know the many benefits that come with consistent exercise. I realize that most people who read this magazine are active individuals who work out regularly. For years, exercise has been known to be an important factor in weight loss, increased muscle tone, and for improving and maintaining most health conditions. But more recently, the benefits of exercise on the brain for mental health have become a popular topic of conversation—and rightfully so. Here’s why.

When I was sixteen, I started drinking. By my twenties, I was an alcoholic, smoking weed, popping pills, and snorting cocaine. What followed was a twenty-year battle with addiction and mental illness. By the grace of God, I became sober in 2015, but I still had a lot of work to do in order to get my body and mind healthy again.

So, I used my 22 years of experience as a Certified Master Trainer to begin an exercise regimen to regain my physical strength. Within as little as two weeks, I began to lose weight and experienced an increase in energy. With my training as a fitness professional, I fully expected these results.

What I didn’t expect to happen so quickly, however, was such a drastic improvement in my moods as well as cognitive function. I had a better sense of well-being and a more positive outlook on life as a whole. I also noticed enhancement in my short and long-term memory. It was like a switch in my brain had been flipped on! All of this began to happen within just a few workouts.

Recently, I decided to research the science behind this phenomenon—and I learned why those brain benefits are so remarkable and profound. I found the information to be very technical, yet fascinating. But you don’t have to be an exercise nerd like me to understand the how and why of the effects of exercise on your brain.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, is a substance found in the brain that helps keep our brain cells healthy. It’s like fertilizer for our brain! High levels of BDNF aid in neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, which is the ability of the brain to re-wire itself and adapt in response to the world around us. On the other hand, low levels of BDNF, have been linked to depression, anxiety, memory problems, and brain degeneration over time.

This BDNF sounds like pretty great stuff, huh? So, how can we get more of it? Well, it is created when the brain is stimulated by activities that make you think; like word puzzles or crossword puzzles. But the newest, most compelling research has found that physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, is the ultimate BDNF booster.

More specifically, high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, appears to be more effective than resistance training or weight lifting for promoting the production of BDNF. The brain’s feel-good chemicals, endorphins and endocannabinoids, are released after just a 20 to 30-minute HIIT workout. Moreover, comparisons between moderate-intensity continuous training, or MICT, and HIIT, suggest increased BDNF circulation after HIIT.

Sustained elevations in BDNF can be seen after just three months of consistent HIIT training. The longterm effects of this type of exercise on the brain include increased concentrations of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine—all of which contribute to an improved sense of well-being, memory enhancement, and reward sensations.

I cannot overstate the positive effects of exercise on the brain; my story is a prime example of this. Mental health continues to be a growing crisis in our country, but as our society becomes educated and more aware of the health benefits of exercise, my hope is that we may begin to turn a corner on elevating brain health across the nation.

Selina Hinojosa is the founder and owner of LIFT by Selina Medical Exercise & Fitness Center in Corpus Christi, TX. You can learn more about her Medical Exercise Training services at www.liftbyselina.com.

Works Cited: (Williams, Vernan MD, How Exercise Benefits Brain Health, U.S. News, 2002)