The Positive Effects Of Exercise On The Brain

Research has shown that physical activity has a positive effect on brain health. Anyone who does sport ensures that the brain is activated and thus prevents signs of wear and tear and strengthens cognitive abilities.

Exercise plays a crucial role when it comes to physical wellbeing. Exercise has been shown to have beneficial effects on the brain. Both mental and physical health depend on the state of health of the brain. Therefore, exercise is practically mandatory for a healthy lifestyle.

It has been proven that exercise is good for the brain, because it delays the aging process and help prevent Alzheimer’s and other diseases. At the same time, sport has a decisive impact on a person’s mental health and quality of life.

The positive effects of exercise were already known in ancient times. The famous sentence Mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy soul in a healthy body) was written by the poet Juvenal in the 2nd century BC. Today we know – not least through science – that he was right.

Positive effects of exercise on the brain

Basically one can say that sport is good for the brain simply because it is highly dependent on the cardiovascular system. The whole body is definitely better supplied with blood with regular exercise. So having a healthy cardiovascular system has a direct impact on brain health.

Several studies have shown that regular exercise is associated with a reduced risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. At the same time, it was proven that exercise has a positive effect on various cognitive functions and is good for the psyche.

A group of scientists from Western Sydney University and Manchester University published a study on this in the journal NeuroImage . In their research, they found that from the age of 40, some areas of the brain reduce their function by 5% annually. Exercise can significantly reduce this percentage, so that in some cases it even approaches zero.

Positive physiological and cognitive effects

One of the main reasons why exercise is good for the brain is that exercise increases neuron production. For a long time it was believed that the brain was unable to make new cells, but now we know better. This process of the formation of new nerve cells is called neurogenesis.

Neurogenesis takes place in the hippocampus, among other places. In an experiment carried out with 737 people, the doctor Joseph Firth was able to prove that aerobic exercises of average difficulty result in an expansion of the size of the left side of the hippocampus. Such an enlargement has a positive effect on the formation of neurons.

Other positive effects can be:

• Preservation of the gray cells : The gray matter, or colloquially also the gray cells, are responsible for data transmission and mental agility. This decreases with age, but it has been proven that active people have denser and more complete gray matter, even as they get older.
• Enhancement of executive functions: These functions allow us to carry out tasks or solve complex problems.
• Increased concentration: Several studies have shown that people who do sport can concentrate better.
• Increasing cognitive flexibility: Cognitive flexibility describes the ability to switch quickly from one task to the next. Physical activity also has a positive effect here.

• Improvement in long-term memory: A study showed that people who had previously exercised were able to remember a text better than those who had not done any physical activity.
• Slowing down of brain aging: There are studies in which it has been proven that the volume of the hippocampus increases by 1 to 2% over the course of 30 years in those who do sport.

Positive effects on the psyche and emotional life

But that’s not all. It is also the case that exercise has a positive effect on the mind and psyche. Mental health is one of the most important factors in a well-functioning brain, and exercise helps to improve and maintain it.

Some of the reasons why exercise is beneficial in this area as well are as follows:

• Prevention and reduction of depression: Exercise is considered a natural antidepressant because it stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is crucial for mental well-being and improving mood.
• Reduction of stress and anxiety: At the same time, endorphins, more precisely dopamine and norepinephrine, are released during exercise. These messenger substances help to combat mood swings and anxiety and thus to achieve stability on an emotional level.
• Increasing self-esteem and creativity: Sport also has a positive effect on self-esteem, motivation and vitality in general. All of this makes us more creative and productive. Exercise also helps to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and thus helps to overcome addictions.