How Exercise Contributes to Brain Health by Rob Urbach
The ability to think clearly and remember things begins to deteriorate as people get older. This is largely due to cerebral atrophy and the accumulation of extracellular plaques that inhibit neuron development. There are ways to slow this down and exercise is likely the key. Research studies are increasingly proving that exercising regularly can have positive effects on the human brain, which can lead to improved cognitive function and memory. Increasing Brain Size with Aerobics Deep within the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex is the hippocampus, the section of the brain that regulates memory, critical thinking, motivation and the ability to learn new things. Researchers believe that it reaches its optimum size at the age of about twenty, then it begins to shrink in size most likely due to glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Thankfully regular aerobic exercise can serve as an intervention to these processes. While the exact reason for this is not clear, it appears to be linked to the stimulation of neurons in the brain. Best Forms of Aerobic Exercise
The type of exercise that is taken is important if the brain is to be stimulated. Aerobic exercises like walking and running are the best. In one specific study, people who were committed to low-intensity physical activities like walking, dancing, or gardening for at least a total of seven hours a week faired well. Those who took part in more intense physical activities, such as swimming, tennis or hiking for four hours or more a week faired even better. Finally, older adults who did high-intensity aerobics like jogging for two or more hours a week did best. Exercising regularly can be a way of staving off symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s. These are conditions that have been linked to the deterioration and shrinking size of the hippocampus. Regular aerobic exercise can also help improve the quality and duration of sleep as well as reduce stress and anxiety levels. Lack of sleep and daily stress have been shown to contribute to cognitive deterioration.