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Exercise, Memory & Cognition
Many studies have confirmed that exercise can help to prevent cognitive decline and even dementia.
Dating back to at least the ancient Greeks, the association between exercising the body and the health of the brain has been recognized.
Research now suggests that moderate to intense exercise, can actually slow down the inevitable aging process of the brain by as much as 10 years. There are several mechanisms at play here that help to explain the link between exercise and brain aging.
First of all, exercise triggers the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which rejuvenates both your muscles and your brain. In your brain, BDNF preserves brain cells, converts stem cells into neurons and promotes brain growth too.
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Research also indicates that exercising four hours after learning something new, helps you to cement what you just learned into your long term memory. This is a great reason why students should participate in after school physical activities. This effect may be related to catecholamines, which are chemicals known to improve memory consolidation.
The human body is truly amazing!