Improves learning abilities

Improves learning abilities

I read this on a website the other day and wanted to share it with you:

“Exercise helps memory and thinking through both direct and indirect means. The benefits of exercise come directly from its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells.

Indirectly, exercise improves mood and sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.

Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater volume in people who exercise versus people who don’t. “Even more exciting is the finding that engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions,” says Dr. Scott McGinnis, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School.”

I have noticed that when I need to really clear my mind and think about solutions, after exercise I seem to be able to come up with solutions much easier. Exercise allows the blood to flow more efficiently thru the body which gives us the ability to allow the proper chemicals in our brain to react. Also after exercise we can focus more on the tasks at hand which gives us the ability to clearly think thru our day.

Now I am not saying that the only intelligent people in the world are all physically fit. But what I am saying is that according to doctors and The Harvard Medical School daily exercise causes less stress on ones organs and thus allows the body (the mind) to focus on the task at hand and not focus on trying to stay alive.

My challenge to all that read this is to ask yourselves a question, are you actively exercising? If not, then why not? Why not begin the process, it may just improve your learning ability.