Benefits of exercise Moving the body does not make us feel only active. But also affects the brain Makes us concentrate more Improving memory and creativity Process data faster and get more ideas. Physical activity helps to elevate our intelligence. In addition, it also helps to increase resistance. Can help protect us from the effects of stress disorder as well
Exercise for each person may have different meanings. Some people exercise to want to lose weight. In order to have a good shape To be healthy Or some people feel good about exercising In this article, we would like you to try changing your perspective. Think of exercise as going back to life the way it was supposed to, in the way our bodies were created and designed for movement.
We may think that if we want to develop our brain to make us think better All we have to do is practice with the Sudoku Crossword game or memory exercise. But research clearly indicates that training the brain with these methods Not as good as exercise It seems that the brain is the organ that gets the most benefits from exercise.
In the book The real happy pill, the author explains the reasons behind the brain’s benefits from regular exercise. Some results can be realized immediately. While some results may have to wait several months Until we see the obvious results
Exercise can change the brain.
The human body has not changed much compared to our ancestors ten thousand years ago. But our way of life is completely different. The first thing that we clearly see is Humans nowadays move a lot less. In the past, humans had to move Had to travel a long distance to find food to survive The human body including the brain Were created to help with the movement
Changing lifestyles keep us away from the activities that our bodies are created and adapted to. Our body and brain are still suitable for living in the fields where we have to hunt for food. Or run away from other predators Nowadays, although we do not go hunting for food But our brain still works well in an environment that requires physical movement like our ancestors did.
Like other organs in the body, our brain deteriorates with age. What many people want to know is how to prevent or slow down the degeneration of the brain. One of the interesting studies is to examine the brains of a total of 100 participants aged 60 years by using MRI, which allows researchers to visualize what is happening in the brain while resting or doing activities. With no side effects And not harmful to the brain
The purpose of the study is to know how the human brain deteriorates. Then how to stop or slow down the degeneration process? From the tests that found that the brains of the rats that ran in cages Deteriorates more slowly than mice that do not run Causing researchers to try to find the answer that Exercise can help slow down the degeneration of the human brain or not. By dividing the subjects into 2 groups, the first group to exercise by walking 2-3 times a week for a period of 1 year, while the second group to do light exercise By stretching the muscles Activities that do not result in faster heart beat
The results show that differences in the groups of exercise walkers Which aside from being able to have a better shape Also makes the brain work better. The effect of MRI shows the connection and the unification of different areas of the brain. Walking, exercise helps the brain to work more efficiently. Increase the ability to plan And self-control
Exercise, besides helping to get in good shape To have strong muscles Also causes changes in the brain as well
As well as positive factors The negative factors can also affect the brain. Negative factors such as alcohol use, substance abuse Anger that cannot be controlled Both have a negative effect on the brain Causing the brain in each part to not connect with each other
Some people may still believe that our brain will stop developing at about the age of 20 and we must have that brain for life. Important things that we need to know Is that our brains can change throughout life. In the study of brain changes Neuroplasticity Found that there are some factors that have a positive effect and can cause changes in the brain effectively. That is not being still. But do regular activities or exercise, and only 20-30 minutes is enough to cause brain changes
The process that changes each step of a run into a change in the brain. Neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid , a substance that acts like a brake to control the activity in the brain. That will stop any changes And it will work less when we move the body Exercise will reduce GABA function, allowing the brain to be flexible and can be rearranged. Makes the brain of people exercising more similar to the brain of children
It may look somewhat contradictory. Because while we exercise It will reduce the work of GABA but at the same time Exercise also helps to increase GABA levels.
Jogging helps reduce stress
When the Amygdala brain detects abnormalities or dangerous signals, the Hypothalamus brain sends a signal to the Pituitary gland that responds by delivering hormones to the bloodstream and Adrenal gland results in releasing the Cortisol stress hormone that will Makes our heart beat faster and more vigorously All of this process takes place in seconds.
Higher Cortisol levels make us prepared to handle dangerous situations. The heart beats faster, helping to pump blood to various muscles. Of the body faster Makes our brain concentrate on the situation and respond more quickly Stress makes us prepare and strive. Which is a good story But if it’s too much If it can’t be controlled, it can create problems for us as well.
When the Amygdala brain detects abnormalities, Cortisol levels will increase, while at the same time stimulating more Amygdala. Stress causes stress to occur.
Our body has parts that act like brakes. Which inhibits the response to excessive stress Prevents us from having a Panic attack. One of them is Hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that holds memory That is not only responsible for creating or storing memories But also acts as a brake system that prevents us from responding to excessive stress Make the balance happen
Amygdala is like a throttle for us to respond faster, and Hippocampus is like a brake for us to slow down.
Cortisol is necessary to help us cope with the situation. But if stress is too much, it can adversely affect the brain. In the long run Hippocampus has to deal with large amounts of Cortisol in the long run. Can also shrink And when the brakes do not work well It will cause accumulation of stress. Can cause chronic stress
While we exercise, Cortisol levels will increase all the time according to the activities that we do. Because the muscles that are needed to exercise Can also cause stress Muscles need more energy. Need more oxygen Make you want blood Must make the heart beat faster and more vigorously But our body does not need a stress management system Because after you stop exercising, Cortisol levels will go down by itself and will go down to a lower level than before before exercising. And if we exercise regularly, Cortisol levels that the body needs will gradually Diminishing
Exercise and body training Will help the Hippocampus brain work well, helping us to manage stress better
Hippocampus is not the only brake system that we have. But we also have a Frontal lobe that blocks stress responses, especially the Prefrontal cortex, which is involved in high level of cognitive processes. Makes it possible to think and analyze various situations when stress occurs. The frontal lobe will work and prevent us from responding with too much emotion. Resulting in calming us Reducing stress and anxiety
Walking or running exercises will increase the amount of frontal lobe in the brain, resulting in increased blood supply to the brain. As a result, each part of the brain works more closely, making Frontal lobe more effective in controlling Amygdala.
Another interesting thing is Exercise also helps to increase the level of confidence in yourself. And those who are confident in themselves tend to be less stressed than the average person
Stress relief medication Alcoholic beverage Both help to reduce stress as well Because it increases the level of GABA, a substance that controls the activity in the brain to calm down. Reduce stress
Physical activities such as walking or running Can also increase GABA levels
Running and exercising helps to concentrate and focus
Selective attention is to focus on only one thing. Is the ability to eliminate unimportant distractions Working in a noisy office environment Whether it is a conversation between colleagues Printer sound Or ringing If we can finish the work even if there is a disturbance Can be considered that we have a very useful capability
Adequate sleep, stress, different time of day. Both affect the ability to concentrate Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly People with good body shape can help to have more selective attention than people. MRI results show that the parietal lobe and frontal lobe work better.
Our body has a Reward system that rewards a good feeling. After we eat delicious food Or when we are hanging out with friends Or when people praise us at work The reward system is very important to our behavior.
Nucleus accumbens is the center of the reward system, where we can receive prizes. Is something that will drive us to do There is also Dopamine neurotransmitter that sends substances between cells in the brain. Eating delicious food Talking to friends Exercise Both of them help increase the level of Dopamine in Nucleus accumbens. Increasing levels of Dopamine will make us feel good. And that makes us want to continue doing that activity
Our ancestors did not exercise to get in shape or want to lose weight. But it is a part of living for survival Traveling to go hunting for food. Or traveling to find accommodation These behaviors are inherited from generations to come. Our brains are programmed to find food. To group together Because it will increase the chances of survival
Nucleus accumbens does not stay still, but for the most part it works all the time. And if not received enough stimulation If the activities that we do do not create enough satisfaction It will make us lose interest and have to search for other things, such as if watching television does not please us. We will have to pick up the phone, open the app, swipe, slide, find something interesting instead.
The reward system is different for each person. People who are unable to concentrate on any activities Is because his reward system is different from other people Unable to increase the level of Dopamine until reaching satisfactory levels The reward system for these people is therefore needed. Extra stimulation And that causes the consequences The reward system is not sufficiently motivated. Will make people distracted Unable to focus on one thing long enough Causing these people to keep changing their interests
ADHD is attention deficit disorder. Affecting children Causing the child to be impulsive and distracting
Even though there is enough Dopamine levels, lack of Receptor in the brain makes it seem like nothing happens. People with ADHD tend to have less Dopamine receptor cells in the brain than people. That makes the reward system not working well. And must be alert to find something that will always keep you satisfied
Enough levels of Dopamine will help you concentrate. Focus on the activities that we are doing Without being disturbed by the surrounding without Dopamine while we are working Just a little noise It may cause us to lose concentration or irritability. Especially if we do not get enough sleep
Things that can increase the level of Dopamine in addition to medication. Still have exercise Regardless of whether you have ADHD or not, exercise can help you concentrate.
Dopamine levels increase due to exercise. Which will increase in just a few minutes after starting And will remain for many hours That makes us feel better and concentrate after exercise. The more practice exercise We will get more Dopamine.
Running and exercising makes you happy.
Depression is different in each person. Some people feel so exhausted that they almost can’t get out of bed. Some people are so scared that they can’t sleep, others don’t want to eat and slim down. Some people become fast-fooders and become fatter quickly.
Depression medication Fluoxetine prevents cells in the brain uptake Serotonin again so that the amount of Serotonin in the brain. Although the use of medication will help to feel better. But causing side effects such as insomnia, dry mouth, nausea
An alternative to non-medication is exercise. From the study found that Regular exercise helps treat depression. And although running helps to be more effective But walking just 20-30 minutes each day is enough to be helpful and help as well.
Serotonin Noradrenaline and Dopamine are both important substances that affect our feelings. The lack of these neurotransmitters Can result in depression Depression drugs often work by increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters.
Serotonin helps adjust brain activity. Helps calm the excessive stimulated brain cells. To reduce anxiety Helps to work in rhythm
Noradrenaline Helps to be alert Cause interest If there are too few, it will make you feel tired and exhausted. But if there is too much then it cannot be idle.
Dopamine causes impulse action To feel good Causing to want to do that activity again and more and more And may make us addicted
Exercise helps increase levels of Serotonin, Noradrenalin and Dopamine as well as medication.
BDNF is a protein that the brain produces in many parts, such as Cerebral cortex or Hippocampus. When brain cells receive BDNF, they are protected from destruction, such as lack of oxygen. Low sugar levels or toxins, these conditions all damage the cells. But if these cells are protected from BDNF, it will not cause damage. In addition, BDNF also helps to maintain the newly created brain cells that need. Early care as well.
BDNF helps cells connect better. That makes learning and remembering information better. In addition, it also makes the brain more flexible and slows the degeneration of brain cells. BDNF is therefore important to all of us. Whether children, adults and old people
In people who have symptoms of depression, often have low BDNF levels.
A good way to increase BDNF levels is through exercise. The brain will create this substance immediately after starting exercise. And will be able to stay for a long time We exercise regularly. Each time, the brain will create more and more BDNF. Which does not need to run fast or run for a long time And after exercise The increased levels of BDNF will remain for a week before gradually decreasing, so if we want to increase BDNF alone, there is no need to exercise every day.
Jogging or exercise that causes the heart rate to rise Will help increase the level of BDNF more effectively than exercise by lifting weights to build muscle
Another important neurotransmitter is Endorphin which helps to alleviate both physical and mental injuries. Runner’s high is a mode that allows us to forget the injury and continue running. Walking alone is not enough to get into Runner’s high mode, but we may have to run for 45-60 minutes, but even if we can’t get into this mode We also benefit from the body releasing Endorphin to alleviate injury.
Exercise makes you remember more.
Hippocampus is the brain that acts as the center of memory. Research has shown that exercise affects the brain. And helps the brain to remember information better
Our brain grows most at the age of 25, after which the brain decreases with age. Although new brain cells are created throughout the life. But it cannot replace the cells that die sooner There are billions of brain cells in the brain. The number of dead brain cells is noticeable as we get older. Over the course of a year, the size of the brain decreases by 0.5-1%. The Hippocampus brain is shrunk with age. Which will be reduced in size by approximately 1% per year
Alcohol use and substance abuse Causing the brain to decrease in size faster As for exercise Can help slow down the contraction of the brain Research shows that people who exercise regularly to improve their physical strength. Does not slow down the contraction of the brain only But also makes the brain grow up to 2% in people who exercise lightly By stretching that muscle Found that the brain has decreased by 1.4%, which is considered a number that the brain shrinks as normal
What is behind the brain growth is that BDNF increases levels of exercise. BDNF keeps brain cells connected together. Makes data memorization better And the increase in BDNF has made Hippocampus grow bigger. Another interesting thing is We don’t need to run or cycle. But walking for 45 minutes 3 times a week is enough to slow down brain degeneration and help improve both short-term and long-term memory.
Exercise along the way With learning Will make remembering information better Increased blood flow results in better brain function.
Walking or running slowly Is enough to produce good results But if we run too much exercise Until causing the body to become tired or injured It will make us remember less information. Because the muscles that have to exert need more blood to feed That causes less blood supply to the brain Other than that, exercising hard Causing us to focus only on movement Making no time for learning or remembering information
Exercise helps to be creative.
Many important people have revealed that exercise helps to be creative. It is said that Einstein discovered relationship theory while cycling. Beethoven often rested during the day and walked a long distance. To inspire, Charles Darwin would usually walk around the house or Steve Jobs would often walk. Which helps to get more work than sitting in a meeting to talk to in the room
Research shows that people who walk will be 60% more creative than those who do not. It helps people to think of new ideas, but walking does not help us to reason, think and solve problems to find answers. Can improve
The interesting thing is Changing locations is not important for creativity. Regardless of walking on a treadmill or running, it has the same effect. And increased creativity It’s not caused by the satisfaction of exercise.
Walking or jogging can help to think creatively. But we may have to walk or run for at least 30 minutes and it will last for a short time. In just a few hours If we want more creativity We have to walk or go to run again.
As well as exercise to increase the ability to remember Exercise by walking or jogging Is enough to produce good results But running hard For a long time Until causing muscles to work hard Will not see the results of creativity Because the body has to send more blood to feed the muscles Resulting in less blood flow to the brain
Exercise properly
Our every step affects the brain. Running a 30 minute workout is better than 5 minutes, but only 5 minutes can affect the brain as well. At least we feel good from exercise. For good results We should walk for at least 30 minutes and if wanting the best results Should run for about 45 minutes regularly, at least 3 times a week. The important thing is exercise to make the heart beat faster.
Exercise by lifting weights to build muscles is really good for the brain, but walking, running, or biking Will give better results Practicing to increase physical strength is a good thing. But not suitable if we want to increase memory or creativity Because it will make us tired and during the time to exercise heavily Our minds often have to focus on the movement. Causing no time to learn or think of other things But physical training will help increase the level of BDNF in the long run.
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