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Our minds and bodies are connected. Maintaining a healthy brain, including memory, has as much to do with our physical fitness as our mental fitness. Sure, it’s important to work our mind to maintain cognition and prevent illnesses like dementia, but it’s equally important to stay physically fit because our physical health contributes to our cognition as we age.
Physical exercise reduces stress
When we exercise, our bodies release feel-good endorphins that help us relieve stress and feel great. Getting as little as thirty minutes of cardio per day can help increase neurotransmitters in the brain like GABA, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which are known to help relieve depression.
Exercise also helps improve sleep which can improve mood and overall well-being as the brain gets plenty of rest to recover and rejuvenate each night.
Physical exercise reduces illness and injury to the brain
Exercise helps blood flow to the brain which improves oxygenation and can help reduce narrowing of blood vessels. The aging brain is at risk for shrinking. Shrinkage in the hippocampus is tied to development of Alzheimer’s. This area of the brain is tied to memory. Aerobic exercise helps slow shrinkage in the hippocampus helping prevent or reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Other illnesses and diseases can contribute to the development of dementia too. High blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol can impact cognitive health. Exercise helps reduce all these life-threatening issues and keep your entire body healthy throughout your lifetime.
Choosing the right form of exercise for your brain
When it comes to brain health, aerobic exercise is best. Exercise that gets your heart rate up for at least twenty to thirty minutes per day is ideal. No matter your age, there’s an aerobic exercise that will work for you.
High Impact Aerobics: High impact exercises generally involve running, jumping, or activities where your feet routinely leave the ground. Barring extensive illness or injury, most people of any age can engage in high impact aerobics of some kind. Dancing, jumping rope, and brisk hiking rough terrain can be fun ways to exercise.
Moderate Impact Aerobics: If high intensity isn’t an option, many people find their comfort zone in moderate impact aerobics. These activities include riding bikes, swimming laps, yard work, or brisk walking.
Low Impact Aerobics: When high and moderate aerobics are too taxing, it’s easy to incorporate low impact aerobics into daily life. Examples of low impact aerobics include water aerobics, walking, elliptical and stationary bicycles.
Exercise is important at all ages. Every age group benefits from getting their heart rate up, plus it can help prevent dementia! Make sure to get some form of aerobic exercise into your daily routine so you live a long, and healthy, life.
What are you doing for exercise to help your body and your brain?
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