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The result of hard training can be seen immediately: the body becomes pumped up and toned. With the brain, everything is more difficult, because we cannot observe the formation of new neurons and the active exchange of information between them. And yet he benefits from physical activity no less than the muscles.
Improving memory
The hippocampus is responsible for memory in the brain. Doctors and experts in the field of neuroscience noticed that his condition is directly related to the state of the cardiovascular system. And experiments in all age groups have shown that this area grows when we improve our fitness.
In addition to speeding up working memory, exercise can increase your ability to memorize. For example, walking or cycling during (but not before) learning a new language helps you remember new words. Instead of your favorite songs, try downloading French lessons into the player.
Increasing concentration
Fitness helps you focus on tasks and avoid information overload during the day. Data in favor of this effect were obtained as a result of testing schoolchildren. In American schools, for a whole year, children did gymnastics and aerobic exercises after school. The results showed that they became less distracted, better retained new information in their heads and applied it more successfully.
Even a 10-minute session of physical activity helps children remember information better.
Similar experiments were carried out in Germany and Denmark, and researchers everywhere got similar results. Even a 10-minute session of physical activity (maybe in the form of a game) had a noticeable effect on children’s attention skills.
Depression prevention
After training, we feel more cheerful, become talkative, we have a wolfish appetite. But there are also more intense sensations, such as runner’s euphoria, the elation that occurs during intense exercise. During a run, the body receives a powerful charge of substances that are also released during the use of drugs (opioids and cannabinoids). Perhaps that is why many athletes experience real “withdrawal” when they have to skip a workout.
Among the techniques that help regulate the emotional background, one cannot fail to mention yoga. When the level of anxiety rises, you tense up, your heart seems to jump out of your chest. This is an evolutionary response known as «fight or flight». Yoga teaches you to control muscle tone and breathing in order to gain calmness and a sense of control over impulses.
Promote creativity
Henry Thoreau, Friedrich Nietzsche and many other great minds have said that a good walk inspires and stimulates the imagination. Recently, psychologists at Stanford University (USA) confirmed this observation. Running, brisk walking or cycling contribute to the development of divergent thinking, which consists in finding many non-standard solutions for one problem. If you’re brainstorming in the morning, a couple of laps of jogging around the house can provide you with fresh ideas.
Slow down brain aging
By starting right now, we ensure a healthy brain in old age. It is not necessary to bring yourself to exhaustion: 35-45 minutes of brisk walking three times a week will delay the wear and tear of nerve cells. It is important to start this habit as early as possible. When the first signs of brain aging appear, the effect of exercise will be less noticeable.
Thinking problems can be solved by dancing
And when there are still problems with thinking and memory, dancing can help. Research has shown that older people who dance an hour a week have fewer memory problems and generally feel more alert and socially active. Among the possible explanations — physical activity improves blood flow in the brain, contributes to the expansion of the vasculature. In addition, dancing is an opportunity to make new friends and even flirt.
Source: The Guardian.