When it comes to maintaining a healthy, optimally functioning brain, there’s no better habit to form than getting regular physical exercise. Exercise improves the flow of oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the brain, which helps it to function at its best.
Physical exercise also protects the brain against things that can harm it, like high
blood sugar levels. A regular exercise routine reduces stress, improves sleep, boosts mood, and supports
healthy blood pressure levels.
Aerobic activity boosts neurogenesis, which helps maintain memory and protects against cognitive decline and
Alzheimer’s disease. Among all the types of exercise you can do, here are 5 that support brain health in truly remarkable ways.
5 BEST EXERCISES FOR BRAIN HEALTH
1. Table Tennis
Of all the brain-boosting sports activities, table tennis reigns supreme. It is highly aerobic and requires tremendous coordination. Japanese researchers first recognized that the game activates as many as 5 separate areas of the brain simultaneously in a clinical
study titled, “The Effectiveness of Exercise Intervention on Brain Disease Patients: Utilizing Table Tennis as a Rehabilitation Program.”
The study found that ping-pong players with brain disease showed better brain function and awareness, as well as decreased
dementia and
depression.
Ping-pong’s aerobic activity increases blood flow to the brain, which is associated with improved cognition, better memory, an increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and hippocampus neurogenesis, according to
research.
Just last year, preliminary
research in
Neurology presented on Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and table tennis showed that PD patients demonstrated significant improvements in speech, handwriting, getting dressed, getting out of bed, and walking after a 6-month regimen of regular ping-pong sessions.
Table tennis is now used therapeutically to mediate the effects of neurodegenerative diseases.
Most of these brain health benefits apply to all racquet sports, including popular and fast-moving pickleball, racquetball, and tennis. What’s more, they can be enjoyed by people of every age and have very few instances of brain injury!
2. Swimming
Swimming is an intense aerobic exercise that works the heart and lungs and involves all of the major muscle groups. This makes it a powerful activity for brain health.
As one of the most intense aerobic sports, swimming increases
blood flow to the brain, which, as mentioned above, increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus and improves focus, attention, memory, and cognition, as well as triggers the release of endorphins, a well-known hormone known to reduce the perception of pain throughout the body and elevate mood.
Research shows that children with
ADHD may benefit from swimming, as exercise can impact the developing brain—particularly aerobic exercise as it promotes neural growth and cognitive development. A 2020 review
study examined a growing body of literature that suggests a potential role for physical exercise in the treatment of ADHD as it may reduce ADHD core symptoms as well as improve executive functions.
One recent
study found that just 20 minutes of moderate-intensity swimming improved cognitive performance. And a 2021 animal
study showed that 7 consecutive days of swimming training results in improved short- and long-term memory benefits.
Of course, swimming is immensely calming and meditative, as the sound of your breathing and the water rushing by brings about an inner focus without outside distractions. It’s an excellent activity to do at any age.
3. Dancing
Dancing boosts brain health in unique ways as it involves coordination, social bonding, and music, which, like table tennis, activate multiple areas of the brain. The music that goes with dance additionally stimulates the brain’s rewards centers, and the social connection has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms.
Indeed, dancing makes us feel good. It releases feel-good endorphins and increases levels of the hormone serotonin, which reduces
stress, and helps us develop new neural connections, improving overall cognitive function. A randomized controlled
study that looked at the effects of dance on depression on college students found that a group participating in dance training 3 times a week for 12 weeks showed that depression levels had decreased
.
Dance protects our brain from decline. In a cohort
study involving more than 450 seniors over the age of 75, it lowered participants’ risk of dementia. While any kind of dance is beneficial, the dances requiring memorization of steps are better for brain power!
4. Yoga
Yoga is universally valued for its calming effects, but it does so much more for the brain. In addition to quieting a busy mind, yoga and other mindful exercises have been found to reduce anxiety and depression, increase focus, improve cognition, and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
Yoga soothes overactive basal ganglia, reducing
anxiety.
Research indicates that more active yoga practices followed by relaxing ones lead to deeper relaxation than relaxing practices alone.
Yoga has also been shown to improve cognition. A
study published in the
Journals of Gerontology found that participants who practiced 8 weeks of regular yoga had significantly improved performance on the executive function measures of working memory capacity and efficiency of mental set shifting and flexibility compared with a control group that did stretching only
.
A 2019
study review published in
Brain Plasticity revealed promising early evidence that yoga practice can positively impact brain health. Looking at 11 yoga studies, the review found that, like aerobic exercise, yoga activates areas of the brain that have trouble as we age, and it may potentially mitigate age-related neurodegenerative decline.
5. Strength training
When you build your muscles through strength training, research shows that you also strengthen your brain health. A
review of strength training research published in the
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that it is associated with numerous mental health benefits, including reduced anxiety symptoms in healthy adults, improved cognition among older adults, reduced symptoms of depression in those diagnosed with depression, improved
self-esteem, and better
sleep.
Just last year, a
human study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Sydney found that 6 months of strength training followed by 12 months of normal activity can help protect brain areas especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease.
EXERCISE TO CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN
Any exercise at all benefits the brain but incorporating these brain-boosting physical activities into your life will give you more brain-powered bang for your effort!
Brain and mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
