By BetterHelp Editorial Team|Updated April 15, 2022
Exercise isn’t just good for your muscles and bones—it keeps your brain in shape. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should be getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week to live longer, be healthier, and maintain strength and a healthy weight.
Recent research also has suggested that exercise may improve the brain’s memory, mood, and neural plasticity. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of exercise for the body and analyze recent data about exercise and the brain.
Exercise for physical health
Anyone who spends a lot of time at a sedentary job may be raising their eyebrows at the recommendation of 150 minutes of exercise per week. Anyone with mobility issues or chronic pain may also feel exasperated at the amount of exercise needed. But there’s good news: you don’t need to go for a run—or even go to a gym—to get your recommended amount of exercise. The WHO’s definition of moderate exercise includes daily chores like cleaning, outdoor activities like gardening and mowing the lawn, and niche activities like badminton.
A recent study found that walking to work and completing household chores regularly provide enough health benefits to reduce the risk of early death by 28%–as long as you stick to that 150 minutes of activity.
For people with mobility issues—or for those who hate exercising—consider trying lower-impact exercises, including:
Arm workouts. While free-weight arm exercises are great for building strength, that sort of exercise is unlikely to provide the same cardiovascular benefits as bicycling or running. Instead, try using an ergometer, also known as a pedal exerciser. These “arm bicycles” allow you to increase your heart rate and oxygen consumption while improving strength and endurance.
Strengthening your core. Having strong core muscles is crucial to maintaining balance and skeletal support. Doing core exercises (with proper form) will improve balance, help prevent falls, reduce back pain, and improve your posture. In fact, simply sitting up straighter throughout the day will strengthen and train your core.
Swimming. Swimming is a great option because it gets your heart rate up without stress on your bones and joints. Regularly swimming can improve cardiovascular health, tone muscles, and build strength.
The benefits of exercise for the body have been proven repeatedly; it can reduce your risk of certain cancers, type two diabetes, and heart disease. But what about exercise’s impact on the mind?
Exercise for mental health
Mental health issues like depression and anxiety aren’t always easy to treat. However, studies have shown that exercise can be an effective, accessible, and reliable way to manage mental health issues.
Researchers have found that exercise significantly affects brain structure, specifically in areas affected by depression and schizophrenia. A 2016 study found that exercise is particularly effective at treating depression—in some cases, as effective as taking antidepressant medication. And while antidepressants can take weeks to start working, exercise offers immediate benefits for mood and outlook.
Anxiety and anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder can also be improved with exercise, according to recent research. Even just a short, daily walk can positively affect mental health. Scientists are still studying the exact reasons exercise tends to improve mood and help with anxiety and depression, but the data is there: exercise for mental health improvement is effective.
Exercise and the brain
A recent Cleveland Clinic article examines the impact of exercise on the brain. By analyzing recent studies on brain health, the author suggests that exercise—along with some other lifestyle habits—can help to keep the brain healthy.
According to neuropsychologist Aaron Bonner-Jackson, Ph.D., who contributed to the article, exercise can be a tool to maintain brain health—even in people predisposed to dementia and Alzheimer’s. “We know that physical exercise, and aerobic exercise, is very beneficial for maintaining brain health, even in people at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD),” Bonner-Jackson said. “You can make a major difference in terms of how your body is functioning and, as a result, how your brain is functioning.”
A recent 20-year study revealed that exercise could lower the risk of dementia. 454 older adults participated in yearly exams and cognitive tests for twenty years in this study. Each person was given accelerometers, which tracked their movements and exercised 24/7. Participants agreed to donate their brains for research when they passed away, and scientists were able to study the link between movement and the brain directly.
Researchers found that the individuals who moved more scored better on memory and thinking tests. Every increase in physical activity by one standard deviation was associated with a 31% lower risk of dementia.
In another study, researchers found that even people who aren’t quite getting the weekly recommended amount of exercise are still benefitting from what physical activity they do engage in. Every hour of light-intensity physical activity and achieving 7,500 steps or more daily was associated with higher total brain volume. Ultimately, this equates to approximately two years less brain aging.
Some researchers also believe the irisin hormone is the connection between exercise and Alzheimer’s prevention. Irisin is generated by muscle tissue and is then carried around the body through the bloodstream. Preliminary research has shown that people with Alzheimer’s had lower hormone levels than healthy individuals.
In tests with mice, researchers saw that cutting irisin levels resulted in learning and memory deficits; by restoring irisin, the effects were reversed. When irisin signaling was blocked in mice with a version of Alzheimer’s, the brain benefits of exercise were also blocked. This research is promising because it suggests that, for those with dementia or a high risk of dementia who are unable to exercise, supplementing with medications that target irisin could improve or prevent dementia.
Is it possible for exercise to improve the brain?
Ultimately, these various studies underline the importance of exercise for the mind and the body. The well-known benefits of exercise include:
· Improved cardiovascular health
· Improved blood flow
· Reduced inflammation
· Lowered stress levels
· Improved mood and mental health
· Reduced risk of cancer and diabetes
Exercise also benefits the brain and protects against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Physical activity may also increase the thickness of the cerebral cortex, according to this study, thereby improving the integrity of the white matter, which involves the nerve fibers that connect areas of the brain’s gray matter, which is full of nerve cells important to many elements of brain function.
Neuroplasticity
Exercise may also promote neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is the brain’s ability to form and react to synaptic connections, forming new neural pathways throughout life. Neuroplasticity is extremely important because it can inform your ability to learn, grow, and adapt to changes in life.
Blood flow
Exercise increases blood flow throughout the body—and the brain. Due to high metabolic demand, the brain needs good circulation, and exercise aids in providing this. Physical activity induces good blood flow to get needed nutrients to the brain and increases the production of molecules important to brain functioning, including memory.
Memories
We can improve and solidify memories by writing them down and talking about them with others, but research shows that exercise improves memory capacity and strength.
How does this happen? Exercise increases molecular targets like the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BNDF increases synaptogenesis, which means it aids in forming new synapses that help with learning and memory, making it easier to absorb information and create long-term memories. The more BDNF, the better the memory functions.
Lower stress
Many people mistakenly believe that exercise lowers stress hormones, but this isn’t quite true. Exercise can mitigate stress by decreasing the number of stress receptors in the hippocampus. When these receptors are minimized, stressful experiences are also minimized.
If you’re not a runner, you may think the “runner’s high” is a myth, but it is real. Runner’s high is another way exercise can mitigate stress because working out stimulates the release of endorphins in the brain. These endorphins act on opiate receptors, creating that blissful, “high” feeling. This sensation can happen after any workout—not just after running—and is associated with lower feelings of anxiety and depression.
Conclusion
It’s important to stay as physically active as you can. Whether you prefer moderate-intensity aerobic activity like jogging or biking, or lower-impact activities like swimming, participating in regular exercise has the potential to strengthen your body and your brain. Old and new research shows that regular exercise can promote longevity and improve your quality of life overall.
If you’re living with mental health problems, it can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself to exercise. You may know that research shows exercise helps depression and anxiety, but you may not feel like that’s the best option for you. If you’re looking for an alternative option to improve your mental health, you may benefit from reaching out to the licensed professionals at BetterHelp.
Online therapy can be a great option—as a supplement to your exercise routine or as an alternative method of mental health maintenance. If you’re wondering if online therapy could help you, the answer is yes: studies show that online therapy can effectively treat anxiety, depression, and trauma. Additionally, the same study shows that patients were equally satisfied with online therapy compared to in-person therapy.
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