Exercises to Boost Brain Power

By Jennifer Dawson

Apart from shredding fat and building lean muscles, exercise can also help boost your memory. A study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that engaging in regular exercise can boost the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain involved in long-term memory. Exercise also increases activity in the prefrontal cortex, which acts as a store for short-term memory. As someone already engaged in physical activity, you are at a significant advantage when it comes to engaging in possible memory-boosting exercise. By familiarizing yourself with how various exercises can benefit the brain, you can ensure that you, engage in activities that will keep your mind active and functioning at optimal levels.

Strength training can boost your brain

Lifting weights is just one of many methods that can boost your recollection abilities. A mere 20-minute weightlifting session is enough to increase the blood flow to the areas of the brain associated with improved performance and memory, improving long-term memory by as much as 10%. The improvement has been attributed to the exercise-induced release of the stress hormone norepinephrine which is known to play a big part in memory retention. Regardless of what many people might believe, it is never too late to start engaging in strength training – whether you are 18 or 80, the health and wellness benefits will be well worth the effort.

Interval training will improve your thinking

A study by the Montreal Heart Institute revealed that engaging in just 20 minutes of interval training twice a week for four months can be of great benefit for cognitive skills, as well as memory. The study indicated that short sessions of intense exercise greatly enhanced the participant’s high-interference memory which, for instance, helps us to distinguish between our own gym bag and one of the same color and design. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which alternates between short bursts of highly aerobic activity such as sprinting and slower activities such as walking, is known to not only reduce body mass and lower cholesterol levels but improve general thinking skills as well.

By following an all-inclusive exercise program, you will not only sport a healthy, fit physique but an impressively astute mind as well.