The brain-changing benefits of exercise
We all know that physical exercise is one of the key factors to keep our body in a good shape. Most people also claim that after doing some workout they are feeling better and they have more energy. Have you ever wondered why a physical activity impacts our mood and mental performance? In this video, a neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki describes key parts of the human brain and explains the processes which take place in it when we are doing exercises. She describes short-term effects like immediate increase of levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine or serotonin, which boost our mood and enable us to shift and focus attention more effectively as well as improve our time reaction. What is even more interesting, long-term effects actually change brain’s anatomy and functioning. Physical activities contribute to the production of new brain cells and increase volume of hippocampus - major component of human’s brain - which leads to improvement of long-term memory. She also describes physical exercises as one of the best protection from negative effects of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer.
Questions:
- Did you know about the above-mentioned long-term effects on our brain ?
- Does physical activity really help you to concentrate e.g.: during studying or it rather makes you feel relaxed ?
- What physical exercises do you perform on a regular basis in order to stay in shape ?
Comments
Certainly a walk helps, once I heard that when we feel sleepy and we can't go to sleep ( especially during the session (: ), it is said that doing a few dozen squats helps.
When there is only an opportunity I try to play football or go to the pool.
I think when I perform more physical activities I keep myself more focused and concentrated on stuff that needs to be done. Also, I become less distracted by pointless and less valuable things in my life that don't bring me any positive results or help grow as a person.
Usually, in the morning I do pushups just to wake up my body and keep myself in a good shape. I've read that this part of morning routine can help you to stay active and full of energy for the rest of the day.
It depends on my mood. Usually I try to split my studying process in a few smaller subprocesses with short brakes for lunch or do some exercises . It increases my productivity significantly and doesn’t let me feel tired. It doesn’t make me feel relax. By doing physical exercises I rather change my field of work what helps me to spend my energy more rationally.
There are a lot of them but mostly it’s standard gym exercises. The only thing that changes is their sequence
I try to run regularly, but the greatest pleasure for me is strength training at the gym.
2. Of course, after physical exercises, I feel a rise in energy, studying is best, besides, the aggression accumulated during the day disappears and in replacement, I get a positive attitude.
3. Cardio training is 10-20 minutes every day. After that, I can make the most simple and banal turns with my head, with my hands, I stretch my legs. Sometimes I go to the gym and do exercises there with sports equipment.
I didn't know about the long term effects the exercise has on a brain, but it makes me even more motivated to keep up to my routine!
Usually I'm a bit exosted after training and performing any brain activity is not the best way to spend time productively.
As for past month started to go swimming to make my spine musculature stronger due to some back pain problems cosed by sitting lifestyle.
It is no mystery that health is basically sports + good diet :) But it's always nice to hear a bunch of new facts that will motivate me to get up from the couch and in to the gym or swimming pool.
Does physical activity really help you to concentrate e.g.: during studying or it rather makes you feel relaxed ?
Definitely relaxed. It lets go of all the stresses and energy that accumulate in my body. Whenever I see that I start fooling around with no reason and just being too much to the people around me, I realise that it's time for exercise.
What physical exercises do you perform on a regular basis in order to stay in shape ?
Running, cycling and less often swimming and roller-skating.
Oh yes, it really helps me. When I cant solve some task from programming or math I usually do some exercises or work out. I usually run, do some exercises for abdominal muscles, arms, legs and all muscles in general. Also Im doing box
I have never considered that so explicitly, but I had that idea somewhere on the back on my head. In the other words I know that physical workouts has good influence for ours all body including brain. Now It is good to know how exactly it works.
Does physical activity really help you to concentrate e.g.: during studying or it rather makes you feel relaxed ?
I think yes, always when I had some long term task like studying something, I tried to workout in the middle of my work. I noticed then that after workout my mind was like after restart, still ready to hard-work.
What physical exercises do you perform on a regular basis in order to stay in shape ?
That is sensitive topic, because I think I workout too less. I work in the office when I don’t have any work-out. I try to go to work by bike which is about 1,5h of ride on a day, but when the weather is not good I have no substitution to workout.
About some of them I knew before, but not in detail. And now it's much more clear for me, why this works this way.
Does physical activity really help you to concentrate e.g.: during studying or it rather makes you feel relaxed ?
In fact both. When I'm relaxed its easier for me to concentrate on task than I'm not.
What physical exercises do you perform on a regular basis in order to stay in shape ?
Cycling and swimming, but lastly I got problems with my bike and I have to repair it.
It’s worth reflecting on.
2. It depends. Sometimes I need to take a break, when I’m sitting in front of the computer for too long and then I stretch out, but I think that it just makes me feel more relaxed.
3. Hmm, pushups, squats and swimming.
Yes I've read about good benefits from workout to our mood and comfort. Unfortunatelly I don't have much time for daily exercise. I am trying to workout on weekend but it's not enought to feel any changes. Yes I could say that because 2 years ago I used to train everyday adn I have to admit I felt better. Workout on a gym is a most common regular basis exercises in addition I am trying to jogg every morning but as you could imagine I jogged once ;D
Maybe dont directly, but for sure it helps me sleep better - so I wake up fresh and well rested. My body feels good, and so my brain.
I just trying to keep up with gym and training baseball at the same time. It's not always easy, considering my field of study - exams, project, dedlines - my routine is changing sometimes weekly. But I'm trying to mentain my habbits ;)