How physical exercises change your brain, boost your memory and help you think better

How does daily exercise help the body?

Different forms of exercise affect the human body differently and can provide different fitness results.

Resistance training, such as jogging, swimming or cycling, teaches the body to become more efficient at using fatty acids for energy production, increasing resistance to fatigue.

Resistance training, which involves the use of free weights or machines, promotes an increase in the number of muscle fibers and the expansion of individual muscle fibers. This may result in the ability to produce more force while working. (1)

How much time per week should you do physical exercises?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that the average adult perform 150 minutes of resistance training exercises each week. This can be done on one day a week, or it can be broken down into smaller intervals: 75 minutes on 2 days a week, 50 minutes on 3 days a week, etc.

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Resistance training 2 or more days a week is also recommended. These exercises should include all major muscle groups: core, chest, back, shoulders and arms, hips and legs. (2)

How can physical exercises stimulate or sharpen memory?

“If brain structures are never challenged, they will never be forced to adapt and improve their functional capabilities.” (3) This reasoning underlies the idea that physical exercises can stimulate memory.

Resistance training facilitates the flow of oxygen to the brain and can lead to new growth of neuronal cells, which can support memory, which otherwise tends to decline with age. (4)

It creates more molecular targets, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), (5) enhancing the transmission of information or impulses between neurons. This helps the brain function better, leading to improved learning, thinking and mood, as well as greater memory formation and retention.

Proprioception is a form of sensory information based on specialized receptors designed to respond to mechanical forces. These mechanoreceptors transmit information about the impact of mechanical forces on the body’s internal environment to the central nervous system. (6) They are found throughout the skin and in muscles, tendons, and fascial tissues and can sense distortions in these tissues.

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The response to sensory information may need to reach only the spinal cord (like an insect crawling on the skin), in which case a reflex response occurs. When this sensory information engages the brain, responses are more planned and calculated for a precise response (such as noticing an obstacle in your path and navigating around it).

When the brain is challenged in this way, knowledge is practiced and improved, and this skill can be applied to other mental activities involving reasoning.

What positive effects do physical exercises have on mental health?

Regular exercise helps relieve anxiety, stress and depression and promotes better concentration, alertness and a positive outlook on life. Here’s how:

• It helps reduce anxiety by taking your mind off what’s worrying you.
• It accelerates the heart rate, which increases the level of endorphins, serotonin and other neurochemicals, while reducing stress hormones in the body. This helps relieve anxiety and improve overall mood. (7)(8)
• It stimulates the part of the brain that allows you to manage your reactions to threats, even perceived ones, allowing you to use reason in stressful situations.
• It will give you a sense of self-control and accomplishment, which is great for self-esteem.
• Release tension from bones and muscles to make your body more relaxed. (9)
• It tires you physically and therefore promotes better sleep. A well-rested mind and body are less prone to mental health problems.

How long does it take to exercise to see results from brain stimulation?

The results of brain stimulation through exercise can begin immediately, but what is important is consistency. Undertaking an exercise program to improve cognitive abilities should be viewed as a lifestyle, rather than a short-term activity. (10)

Are high-intensity physical exercises more useful for memory stimulation?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, those who suffer from anxiety attacks report finding greater relief with higher levels of exercise. When anxiety is relieved, cognitive function can be optimized. (11)

How does exercise influence different areas of the brain to make it work better?

Below are ways physical exercises stimulate different areas of the brain to improve memory, mood, reasoning and cognitive function:

• The hippocampus plays a role in long-term memory. When this part of the brain is affected, the ability to form new memories is inhibited. Physical exercises allow the hippocampus to facilitate a feeling of well-being and allow for easy memory formation. (12)
• The amygdala manages the fear response and conditioning. When this part of the brain is affected, processing and managing emotions can become difficult. (13) Physical exercises strengthen the neural circuits of the amygdala to experience emotional stimuli and respond accordingly.
• The prefrontal cortex is responsible for memory, planning, judgment, emotional regulation, and lower body movement. When this part of the brain is affected, problem-solving abilities decline and regulating emotions can become a challenge. (14)
• Physical exercises allow the prefrontal cortex to facilitate the cognitive abilities of developing strategies and planning.
• The ventral tegmental area (VTA) regulates mood and manages the brain’s reward and motivation pathways. When this part of the brain is affected, you are likely to face depression. (15) Long-term physical exercises facilitate the production of tyrosine hydroxylase, a precursor of dopamine. Dopamine creates a feeling of pleasure.

Can people with mental disorders benefit from physical exercises?

Yes, in more ways than one. For starters, exercise improves brain function and mood, as we discussed above, which is an important benefit for those with mental health issues.

At the same time, people diagnosed with mental health problems are more prone to chronic physical conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular problems, and exercise can help with this. Regular physical activity helps improve cardiovascular health and keeps the body fit, reducing the risk of such chronic diseases. (16)

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise improves various aspects of health, for example, regular exercise improves cardiovascular function and weight management, (17) increases energy and mental alertness, (18) helps you sleep better and regulate sleep patterns, (19) increases libido, (20) and reduces anxiety. (21)

1. PD; SSRCSMBTC. Effects of training with free weights versus machines on muscle mass, strength, free testosterone, and free cortisol levels. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32358310/.
2. Yang YJ. An overview of current recommendations regarding physical activity in primary care. Korean Journal of Family Medicine. Published in May 2019.
3. Lisman J. The challenge of understanding the brain: where we are in 2015. Neuron. Published May 20, 2015.
4. Baek SSS. The role of physical exercises on the brain. Journal of Physical Rehabilitation. Published on October 31, 2016.
5. Miranda M, Morici JF, Zanoni MB, Bekinschtein P. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: a key molecule for memory in the healthy and pathological brain. Frontiers in cellular neuroscience. Published on August 7, 2019.
6. Mechanoreceptors. Mechanoreceptors – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/mechanoreceptor.
7. Anderson E, Shivakumar G. The effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety. Frontiers in psychiatry. Published on April 23, 2013.
8. The young SN. How to Increase Serotonin in the Human Brain Without Drugs. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience: JPN. Published November 2007.
9. Stults-Kolehmainen MA, Sinha R. Effects of stress on physical activity and exercise. Sports Medicine (Auckland, New Zealand). Published in January 2014.
10. Mandolesi L, Polverino A, Montuori S, et al. The effects of physical exercises on cognitive functioning and well-being: biological and psychological benefits. Frontiers in psychology. Published on April 27, 2018.
11. Robinson OJ, Vytal K, Cornwell BR, Grillon C. The impact of anxiety on cognition: insights from human shock threat studies. Frontiers in human neuroscience. Published May 17, 2013.
12. Anand KS, Dhikav V. The hippocampus in health and disease: an overview. Annals of the Indian Academy of Neurology. Published October 2012.
13. Steimer T. Biology of fear and anxiety-related behaviors. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. Published September 2002.
14. Arnsten Aft. Stress signaling pathways that influence the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. Published in June 2009.
15. Russo SJ, Nestler EJ. The brain reward circuitry in mood disorders. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. Published September 2013.
16. Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD. Exercise for mental health. Primary care contributor to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Published in 2006.
17. Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular effects and benefits of physical exercise. Frontiers of cardiovascular medicine. Published on September 28, 2018.
18. Di Liegro CM, Schiera G, Proia P, Di Liegro I. Physical activity and brain health. Geniuses. Published on September 17, 2019.
19. Dolezal BA, Neufeld EV, Boland DM, Martin JL, Cooper CB. The interrelationship between sleep and exercise: a systematic review. Advances in preventative medicine. Published in 2017.
20. Jiannine LM. An investigation of the relationship between physical condition, self-concept and sexual functioning. The journal of health education and promotion. Published May 3, 2018.
21. Aylett E, Small N, Bower P. Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Services Research. Published on July 16, 2018

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