We already know that exercise is great for our body, but scientific evidence continues to confirm that exercise also strengthens the brain. Moderate exercise nourishes the brain, improves our ability to learn, boosts mental performance, remodels the brain, and helps prevent the brain from aging.
Scientists used to think the adult brain structure was fixed, and no new cells could be made or the brain altered in any way after adolescence. However, physical activity boosts blood flow all through the body, including the brain, which increases the ability of brain cells to connect with each other. Increased connectivity can occur by simply walking. More vigorous exercise, such as running, leads to faster reaction times and improved learning. Physical activity has been linked to a lower risk of the development of cognitive decline, because it is, in essence, a fertilizer for the brain, nourishing it and improving attention, memory and information processing.
A March 2018 article from Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researched all PubMed literature from 2017 regarding exercise and Parkinson’s disease, as well as exercise and cognition. The literature showed a direct benefit of exercise on the brain. Dementia is the most feared aspect of Parkinson’s, but adults who engage in exercise during midlife, are able to significantly reduce the risks of dementia and cognitive impairment later in life.
Exercise reshapes the brain. When we don’t use our muscles, they atrophy. The brain is no different. Boost the health of brain cells, stimulate the growth of new blood vessels in the brain and encourage new neuronal connections through exercise. Start your day with exercise! Exercising in the morning prepares you for the day by enhancing brain activity, improving information retention and fine-tuning your ability to react to the situations and stressors that come your way.