Your brain loves the gym!
If you weren't already aware, exercise is good for you! That's obviously a no-brainer (this pun will become
more obvious as you read on). We're all aware that exercise is good for our cardiovascular health and can
help reduce risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes blah blah blah…
But did you know how much lifting weights can do for your BRAIN?
Here are 7 things that can happen to your brain during exercise:
1. Norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline) is released, this helps improve cognitive function
through heightened attention, perception and motivation.
(Dishman et al, 2000)
2. Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which help protect and repair
neurons. This helps improve cognitive function and increase neurogenesis (plasticity). Low levels
of neuroplasticity are associated with Alzheimer's disease and depression.
(Pietrelli et al, 2018)
3. The hippocampus (part of the brain concerned with executive processing, learning and memory),
grows in size with regular exercise over time. Again, helping to protect the nervous system from
neurodegenerative disease.
(Liu & Nusslock, 2018)
4. Serotonin is released. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a significant role in regulating the
neuro-hormonal system. This helps positively modify mood, appetite, joy, sleep, and effective
cognitive activities in learning and memory.
(Sharifi et al, 2018)
5. Exercise causes blood flow to the brain to increase, delivering more oxygen and nutrients while
improving waste removal. There are marked improvements in blood vessel stiffness in the brain
in those who have a higher level of aerobic fitness.
(Tsubasa et al, 2021)
6. Dopamine is released. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with improving motivation,
reward and pleasure. Something we can all agree we would like more of!
(Sacheli et al, 2019)
7. Endorphins and enkephalins are released, creating an analgesic effect. In other words, these
hormones and peptides help by reducing the sensation of pain. You might've felt this during your
run, sometimes 30 minutes in feels better than 5 minutes in!
(Schwarz & Lindemann, 2012)
So, not only will your heart, lungs and muscles benefit from exercise, so too will your brain!
As Ben Stiller once said in Dodgeball, "I like to break a mental sweat too". Food for thought next time
you're tossing up whether you should go to the gym or not
