By now it’s pretty well documented that exercise is great for both body and mind. It’s a great stress-reliever: It causes immediate increases in levels of key neurotransmitters, including endorphins, which boost your mood immediately. Exercise also improves our ability to focus: Your focus is heightened right after you get your blood flowing, whether it be from a brisk walk or a full-on workout. (So if you have a big presentation or meeting where you need your focus and attention to be at its peak, you should get in a workout ahead of time to maximize those brain functions.)
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But here’s one we hadn’t heard: According to a recent study in rodents, exercise encourages the long-term growth of brain cells in the hippocampus, which can have a lot of positive results. Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki says that increased levels of physical exercise can result in improved memory, particularly long-term memory. She also says that recent findings suggest the brain’s hippocampus is also involved in giving people the ability to imagine new situations. This would mean that exercise might be able to improve our imaginative functions as well. Additionally, having an increased number of young, healthy, hippocampal cells lowers our chances of suffering from cognitive decline and dementia as you age.
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So in case you needed another reason to exercise, you can now add neurological benefits!
Curated article from:
QZ.com
