How exercise impacts your brain

1. Improves energy levels

Endorphins, which are more often referred to as your ‘feel-good hormones’ not only reduce your perception of pain, they also can help increase your energy levels. Starting your day with some physical activity can help you feel more energised and ready to take on the rest of your day. Overtime, physical activity can also boost your cardiovascular health, which will enable you greater endurance through out the day. As your cardiovascular health increases, it is easier to complete day to day tasks, leaving you with more energy left over.

2. Sharpens your thinking

If you’re keen to improve your focus, exercise is highly recommended as a solution – evidence-based research shows that your concentration is enhanced after exercise. In the longer term, exercise can also help to combat brain ageing and Alzheimer’s through improved blood flow, and increased levels of important proteins in the brain.

3. Enhances your memory

Our hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning, actually grows during regular physical activity – we can keep our brains sharp by getting our hearts pumping and staying active!

As we age, exercise also changes the brain to protect our memory and thinking skills. Studies have found that aerobic, resistance or strength training along with mind-body exercise such as yoga can promote cognitive brain health in older adults including improvements in processing speed and function.

4. Boosts your mood

Exercise stimulates the production of chemicals such as endorphins, endocannabinoids and dopamine that improve your mood, help reduce anxiety and stimulate feelings of calm.

5. Releases stress

We all experience stress, and a small amount from time to time is not a problem. When stress is intense and constant, it can result in changes to the brain that can contribute to the development of physical, and mental illnesses.

Physical activity reduces levels of our body’s stress hormones including adrenalin and cortisol, while having a positive impact on your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems – protecting your body from the harmful effects of stress.

6. Relieves Anxiety

Exercise has been shown to be a natural anxiety reliever, Rhythmic activities that require moving both your arms and legs are especially effective, such as walking, running, swimming, martial arts or dancing.

Practicing mindfulness will enhance the effects of exercise. For example, when on a walk focus on how the wind or sun feels on your skin, and pay attention to your breathing. Beyond Blue has a range of relaxation exercises available on their website, as well as some downloadable audio files you can listen to while exercising.

7. Improves your sleep

Regular exercise can improve our sleep quality, which supports our healthy brain function. The feel-good chemicals we mentioned earlier which can help reduce pre-sleep anxiety, as well as common sleep problems such as restless leg syndrome, insomnia and sleep apnoea.

Exercise can also increase the amount of deep sleep we get to help us recover from mental exertion.

8. Reduces social isolation

Many physical activities, such as walking, swimming and cycling, encourage you to get out into more social settings such as the beach, community walking tracks and gyms.

This can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation and put you in touch with other people, which overtime can help you form new friendships.

So, how much exercise do you need to receive these benefits? Australian guidelines recommend at least half an hour of moderate intensity physical activity on most, or all days of the week.

We’re more likely to exercise when we choose something we enjoy, you might consider:

• Swimming
• Aerobics or water aerobics
• Golf with no golf cart
• Cycling
• Yard and garden work
• Tennis
• Weight, strength or resistance training
• Climbing stairs
• Lawn bowls
• Yoga
• Dancing.

If physical activity isn’t already part of your routine, getting started can feel overwhelming. The recommendation of 30 minutes of exercise can be broken down into shorter allotments and incorporated into your daily routine, for example:

• Parking your car further away from work so you can have a longer walk into the office, there might also be the added bonus of lower parking fees – you’re saving money and getting active!
• Getting out for your breaks, perhaps walking to a near by park to enjoy your lunch, you’re getting some physical activity in, and ensuring you’re taking your breaks.
• Grabbing a coffee with a friend or family member and walking around a nearby park or beach.
• Set a goal of 10,000 steps per day