Why Exercise is Good For Your Brain
Most of us know that exercise is good for your heart, lungs, muscle, bones and joints. However, did you know that physical exercise is one of the best things you can do to stimulate your brain and get focused?
Reading, word games, math problems and creativity through art all stimulate your brain in different ways and in different areas. Any activity that makes you use one or more of your senses will stimulate particular areas of your brain. This is advisable to people of all ages, especially the elderly because brain activity diminishes as we age.
The problem with repeatedly doing the same activity, is that it only stimulates the particular area of the brain responsible for that task. If you are an avid reader, you most likely can read very fast and absorb the material quickly. The more you read, the better you get. Unfortunately, reading does nothing for the area of the brain responsible for solving math equations or creating a piece of art. In other words, it does not transfer to other areas of the brain.
Any repetitive movement of body parts can be considered physical exercise. As you move your body, muscles are flexed and extended, joints are opened and closed. All of these movements activate nerve receptors in joints and muscles. They tell the brain what each body part is doing and where it is in relation to itself and the surrounding environment. Your musculoskeletal system is densely packed with these receptors, especially in the spine, which is the core and base of your skeleton. A properly functioning spine is crucial to proper brain activation.
Physical exercise quickly stimulates your brain because of the sheer number of the receptors fired off during movement. It is one of the primary ways to stimulate your brain: the more you move, the more awake you feel. It also has the unique characteristic known as transference, the ability to stimulate all areas of your brain simultaneously.
In addition to improving overall stimulation to the brain, exercise also increases blood and oxygen. This provides more energy to brain tissue and removes more waste products, thus improving mental focus. Studies have also shown that exercise has a protective effect against degenerative brain disease. Inactive people are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Regular activity and exercise has also been shown to be just as effective as medication for depression, with none of the side effects.
The bottom line is get up, get out and get moving! Your body AND brain will be thankful you did!
At Crevar Chiropractic in Charleston, SC, we take a new and innovative approach on chiropractic care called functional neurology. We work to align your brain with your body, helping specific medical conditions, as well preventative care to keep you always feeling your best. We treat conditions like ADHD, movement disorders, tremors, stress management, Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebal Palsy, Fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s Disease and more. Contact us today, and let us help you on the path to health!