We all know we should factor exercise into our daily routine; however, finding the right motivators can seem elusive and when we do find that ‘one thing’ to motivate us, it tends to be short-lived. If you’re anything like me, you have a love-hate relationship with exercise, one that more often than not, remains a great idea, with the actuality, harder to implement.
Perhaps our focus on why we should exercise has been wrong.
What if brain health is the trump card to motivating increased engagement with exercise.
Increased mental well-being, increased cognitive functioning, sharpened memory, increased focus and attention, decreased ‘brain fog’, reduced stress, reduced social anxiety and lowered depression are proven outcomes from exercise.
Michelle’s article on *Exercise is Brain Food..., has some pretty persuasive evidence that suggests if we want to get the most from our brains, we had best get exercising!
So, a cautionary note, reading past here could change your life and inspire you to get up out of your chair or off the couch and take a walk, ride a bike, go for a run, buy some training gear or a gym membership.
- Neurotrophins, endogenous proteins that support brain plasticity mediate the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain.
- Exercise increases brain volume in areas implicated in executive processing, such as task management, and coordination.
- Exercise improves cognition in children with cerebral palsy and enhances phonemic skill in school children with reading difficulty.
- Walking increased the rate of oxygen consumption in healthy older adults noting improved reaction time and enhanced performance in tests of executive functioning.
- Exercise decreases stress hormones and increases the number of neurotransmitters - serotonin and norepinephrine, known to accelerate information processing.
- During exercise, oxygen saturation and angiogenesis (blood vessel growth) occur in areas of the brain associated with rational thinking and as well as social, physical and intellectual performance.
* Ploughman, Michelle. Exercise Is Brain Food: The Effects of Physical Activity on Cognitive Function. Developmental Neurorehabilitation 11.3 (2008): 236-40.
Easy Tips:
Take the stairs instead of the lift;
Take 5-minute breaks from sitting at your desk every 2 hours;
If practical, have an adjustable workstation so you can alternate between standing and sitting;
Park further away from the shop/restaurant you are visiting or from your place of employment;
Take the baby for a walk in the stroller;
Walk the dog;
Walk/run alongside the kids as they ride their bikes or scooters; and
Schedule an activity you like 2-3 times into your weekly calendar.
If you're struggling with how to get started, check out my articles: Goal-Oriented Living & Procrastination – Opportunities Natural Assassin.
For those who would value more scientific research based approach explained in greater depth, see the video below.
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