This Is Your Brain on Exercise

It's no secret that exercise is essential for health and well-being. According to one survey, almost 60% of Americans say that they exercise at least three times per week, with biking, hiking, and running being some of the most popular activities.

And no matter how much you loathe waking up early to go for a run or to the gym, there's no denying the moment post-workout bliss reminds you why you suffer through those reps.

Or maybe getting outdoors isn't your thing. But whether you join your friends at the gym to tone up or do Zumba to boost your endorphins, you know there are physical benefits to exercise. While it's easy to see some of the physical benefits coming into play, you may not realize that exercise and movement also benefit your emotional, mental, and cognitive well-being.

“Physical exercise improves our overall mental well-being by boosting energy and mood and combating stress, anxiety, and depression. This will in turn have great benefits on your overall health as well including better sleep, and nutrition habits,” states LaReina Tipping, MSW, Program Manager, Brain Center of Green Bay.

We’ll take a look at how your brain benefits from exercise both in the present and in the future, giving you even more reasons to get your body moving.

What Happens in Your Brain When You Work Out

Exercise stimulates various reactions such as hormone production, and the release of reward chemicals that can enhance your mood and relieve pain. “During exercise, our brain releases chemicals such as endorphins, endocannabinoids, and dopamine,” explains Tipping. The experience of this is sometimes known as a "runners-high".

Tipping continues, “Additionally, exercise promotes neuroplasticity, which is your brain's ability to form new neural connections and, in other words, your ability to keep learning throughout your life.”

In the short term, this means you may feel more motivated, energized, and revitalized. Studies show that exercise can also improve some mental health issues, potentially improving symptoms of depression and anxiety.  

Tipping says her clients have seen an improvement in mental and cognitive function thanks to exercise becoming a part of their routine. “Some of our clients have stated that they have noticed a decrease in their stress with exercise"

Tipping continues, "They found with exercise they were able to better manage stress in their lives. They have also said that when they feel they have a ‘clear mind’, they can recall information more quickly. Additionally, it helped them improve their flexibility and balance,” Tipping states.

Positive Effects Over Time

Exercise helps your brain in long-term ways as well. Research shows that physical exercise positively impacts cognitive function and can even counteract some of the impacts of aging.

When your body gets in motion, it elevates your heart rate. This increases your brain’s blood flow and reduces factors that may potentially put you at higher risk for dementia, like diabetes and high cholesterol. It also may increases the size of different parts of the brain.

“Increased physical size of brain structures such as the hippocampus and basal ganglia both involved in the formation of memory and learning. This happens primarily through neurogenesis and angiogenesis. The larger the structure the more blood flow is needed to support its function,” explains Stephen Clark, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC, Clinical Innovations Director, Confluent Health.

Your brain, in turn, can function more efficiently.

“Exercise can also stimulate growth of new neurons in the brain and help make the brain stronger and more efficient—a better processor, if you will,” states Patricia Boyle, PhD, McKnight Brain Research Foundation Trustee and Neuropsychologist with the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago. “Exercise helps enhance attention, learning, and memory and can improve many aspects of
thinking.”

Your brain on exercise is more alert, more engaged, and healthier.

Get the Most Benefit From Exercise

As long as you’re putting forth the effort to exercise, you might as well get the biggest bang for your buck, right? Keep in mind a few recommendations that can increase the effectiveness of your workouts on your physical and mental health.

• Exercise an effective amount of time. “The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, like brisk walking, or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity,” notes Dr. Boyle. “Aerobic exercise, like brisk walking or jogging, is thought to be more beneficial to cognitive health than non-aerobic exercise such as stretching and toning,” she adds.
• Stay consistent in your exercise regimen to see results. “[The] long-term effects on brain function are pronounced, including improved memory and ability to learn, better problem-solving skills, and the possible delay or even prevention of mild cognitive impairment,“ states Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder of Linus Health, and a professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.
• Make taking care of your health a priority. “Adopting a healthy and engaged lifestyle, by staying physically, socially, and mentally active, benefits both physical and mental health and promotes vitality as we age,” Dr. Boyle concludes.