In my previous blog post, I shared how exercise improved the brain systems. According to most neuroscientists, exercise is one of the best things a person can do to improve and maintain brain health. According to Dr. Wendy Suzuki, exercise is the most transformative thing a person can do for their brain.
Exercise has both immediate and long-term effects on the brain. One of the benefits is that exercise works at a cellular and molecular level to change brain cells as well as increase the size of brain cells. This is particularly true in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise 3-4 days per week will cause the cells in these parts of the brain to increase in size and volume.
The Hippocampus is located in the Temporal Lobe. The hippocampus assists in the storage of long term memories. It is also responsible for the memory of the location of objects or people. Regular exercise helps to increase the size of the hippocampus, which can have profound long-term effects on brain health. This growth in the hippocampus due to exercise seems to reduce the risk or delay the onset of diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Regular exercise also effects the prefrontal cortex. Research has found that exercise increases the size and volume of cells in this area of the brain. The prefrontal cortex plays a role in executive function. It is involved in planning, organization, consequence evaluation, learning from mistakes, maintaining focus, and initiating or delaying a response. Dysfunction in this area of the brain leads to disruption in the organization and control of behavior. The effects of regular exercise help to improve all the functions in the prefrontal cortex and well as reducing the potential for dysfunction.
Knowing that exercise can improve memory and make the brain bigger and stronger should make all of us want to get ourselves and our kids moving as much as possible. There is nothing better for your brain health than exercise. It is critical to brain development and growth. I challenge you to make exercise a regular part of your family’s routines. For the best brain boosting benefits, choose exercises that increase your heart rate for 20-30 minutes. You can do all this at home. There is no need for an expensive gym membership. At Family Time Fitness we are here to help you start and maintain your exercise program. Our membership provides you with hundreds of lessons or workouts that the entire family can do together. Boost your brain health and get moving today.
