Exercise: A cognitive booster for the brain? Find out how it affects our mental health
Regular physical exercise not only contributes to physical health, but also plays an important role in mental and cognitive health. In addition to improving mood, reducing depression and anxiety, exercise improves mental clarity, concentration, memory and learning.
Studies establish an influence between exercise and scores on cognitive tests - Foto Reproduction/Internet
Physical exercise is often associated with physical health benefits, such as muscle building, weight loss and improved cardiovascular health, and have consistently shown that regular exercise stimulates the production of feel-good chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins and serotonin. These substances help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as increase self-esteem and improve mood.
Furthermore, physical exercise improves blood flow to the brain, which increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients, essential for the proper functioning of the organ. This can lead to increased mental clarity, improved concentration, increased memory and learning. However, recent research shows that exercise also has a positive impact on mental and cognitive health. According to the World Health Organization, dedicating about 2 hours a week to moderate activities or 75 minutes to vigorous activities can contribute to the improvement of cognitive skills, such as thinking and memory. However, recent research reveals a more complex view of the situation.
Study
Several studies establish an influence between the exercise reported by participants and scores on cognitive tests, or look at the effects of randomizing participants into groups that either exercise or remain sedentary. These surveys generally conclude that the more physical activity a person performs, the better their cognition. This finding applies just as much to healthy people as it does to stroke survivors and individuals with other neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
A recent study conducted earlier this year and published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports used genetic information to investigate the effects of exercise. Under the leadership of sports scientist Boris Cheval of the University of Geneva, a team gathered approximately 350,000 individuals in the UK, classifying them based on genetic variants associated with higher or lower levels of physical activity. The researchers concluded that those with an apparent genetic predisposition to be more active also performed better on a set of cognitive tests.
Other studies have been carried out on cognitive decline related to aging. One of them was published in February of this year in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. In research scientists followed more than 1,400 individuals over 30 years and revealed that greater physical activity was associated with better cognitive performance at 69 years of age. Other studies indicate that the amount of exercise is also an important factor. A randomized study, published in January in the medical journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, showed that only older adults who increased their physical activity by at least 35% experienced improvements in cognition.
According to a study published in the medical journal "Psychiatry Research" showed that practicing aerobic exercises regularly can help prevent or slow down age-related cognitive decline and another research carried out by the University of Illinois found that just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise can improve the cognitive processing capacity.
Physical exercise
Physical exercise can also help reduce stress, one of the main factors that affect mental health. During the practice of physical activity, the body releases stress hormones, such as cortisol, which are responsible for the stress response. By exercising regularly, these hormone levels tend to decrease, resulting in a feeling of relaxation and well-being. To obtain the cognitive benefits of exercise, it is not necessary to undertake intense training sessions. Studies show that even low to moderate intensity exercise can improve cognitive performance. This means that a daily walk, dance class or even gardening can bring significant improvements to mental health.
However, it is important to point out that physical exercise alone is not a complete solution to all mental health problems. If you're struggling with serious issues like depression or chronic anxiety, it's essential to seek help from a mental health professional.
