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How does 30 minutes of daily exercise make you smarter? (Guest Post)

Fitness

How does 30 minutes of daily exercise make you smarter? (Guest Post)

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exercise makes you smarter

This guest post was written by Rossi White, Professional Writer and Blogger. The opinions expressed herein are hers and her alone. To learn more about Rossi, follow her on Google+. She’s known her impeccable analysis and thought-provoking blogs on health and fitness.

All this while, if you felt that exercise is only a technique to stay fit, it is time to brush aside those ideologies. According to a latest research conducted at University of Texas, even a 30 minutes exercise can sharpen your brain cells[1]. Quiet astonishing, right? Recently, the University extracted details from 1,100 college students and found that students who regularly indulge in 30 minutes exercise got an “A”, whereas the other students with low grades only exercised for 2.81 times on a weekly basis.

It is also claimed that exercise is the best way to uplift anyone’s mood. It not only works as an antidepressant, but also significantly aids you to concentrate on things that are important on a daily basis. Here are top 5 ways in which exercise makes you smarter:

1. Boosts energy

When you exercise on a regular basis, the muscle strength and tolerance level of your body increases[2] by leaps and bounds. As a result, you are brimming with energy throughout the day. The increased level of energy makes you clear-headed and incites you to come up with unique ideas, which is insurmountable if you practice a laid back lifestyle.

2. Increases concentration

According to Dr John Ratey, exercise increases the concentration level of your brain significantly. It increases the release of neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are basically chemical substances that are released in the brain, and are associated with mood and attentiveness. Better concentration improves analysis.

3. Better control of impulse

By sweating it out on treadmill or with any other exercise, your body is able to release endorphins, which improves the functioning of the brain. Your brain would get a control on impulse and thus, you can aptly prioritize things. This also helps to block out any kind of distraction in your daily life. People in pain often take the help of light relief therapy to get rid of the stiffness and ache of muscles. Exercising regularly can alleviate painful symptoms and obstruct pain impulses.

4. Growth of new brain cells

Dr John Ratey says that when brain cells grow we are able to retrieve and seize more information from it. Exercise fuels the increase of BDNF, which is a neurotrophic factor derived from brain. This protein considerably encourages the growth of brain cells. Growth of brain cells will obviously make you more sharp and alert in the long term.

5. Enhances memory

It has been found that a dynamic body is able to retain more information as opposed to a lethargic body. An experiment was conducted on students wherein they were asked to learn a sequence of letters. After this, they were given the option to either run or sit quietly. The answers of students who exercised were more correct than those who sat quietly.

In conclusion, exercise is not just restricted to people who want a beautiful, slim body; it should also be done to become smarter and sharper. You do not need to follow the routine of an athlete but only a dedicated 30 minutes brisk walking, weight lifting or aerobics will do the needful.

Are you working out to smartness? Let me know.

References:

[1] Harv Womens Health Watch. 2003 Jul;10(11):7. exercise and brain connection. PMID: 12888458 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[2] Eur J Heart Fail. 2002 Oct;4(5):627-34. Exercise and muscle strength training and their effect on quality of life. Radzewitz A, Miche E, Herrmann G, Nowak M, Montanus U, Adam U, Stockmann Y, Barth M.

Image Credit: The Emotion Machine

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