Study shows certain exercises target specific areas of the brain

Variety of exercises is key to obtaining a healthy and balanced mind.

Whether you are pumping iron to give your muscles a good pump, performing various yoga positions to stretch and unwind, going for a run to whittle your waistline and acquire that sculpted physique, there are myriads of reasons for exercising frequently and, while performing these exercises, people quite often look forward to the aesthetic rewards, which is good.

But scientists are now discovering that there are many ways exercise can lead to improved mental cognition. According to studies, certain exercises target different areas of the brain leading to improved brain function.

1.Weightlifting boosts executive functioning

To assess the notion, Teresa Liu-Ambrose at the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, Canada, tested the theory. Liu-Ambrose analyzed the effects of strength training and aerobic exercise in 86 women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI); which is the expected deterioration of cognitive ability as one ages and the more worrisome decline–such as dementia.

Liu-Ambrose came to the conclusion that lifting weights for as little as once a week can greatly improve executive functioning, contributing to the overall conditioning of the brain.

Studies at Harvard University further shows that executive functioning involves three key components:

– Working memory which controls the ability to preserve and utilize distinct sects of information over short periods of time.

– Mental flexibility which assists in sustaining or shifting attention in response to various demands or to utilize various outlines in different settings.

– Self-control enables the ability to set priorities and resist impulsive actions or responses (this is especially good if you are looking to lose weight in the process).

Other studies show that strength training lowers levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory molecule that is elevated in older individuals with dementia.

2. Aerobics improves Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

The Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a crucial protein which helps with brain functioning, along with the conditioning of the peripheral nervous system.

BDNF proteins are the by-product of hippocampal neurons which produces BDNF proteins. The hippocampi is stimulated by way of continuous aerobic exercises such as: running, rope-jumping and jogging.

If you are involved in any of the following: intense bike trails, brisk walks, marathons or even martial arts among other similar activities, you can rest assured that you are stimulating your BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and it just takes about 30 minutes or more of these activities done daily, to satisfy the requirements.

3. Improves mental alertness

If you are a big fan of Ninja Warrior, then it is best that you begin to utilize some of their techniques in your everyday life in order to sharpen your proprioceptive reflexes.

Drs. Tracy and Ross Alloway, researchers in the department of psychology, at the University of North Florida, discovered that just a few hours of climbing trees, walking along a balance beam and even running barefoot, improve the effect of memorization drastically. The idea is that such activities strengthen the proprioceptive information in the brain which is responsible for adapting the body and its muscles to respond to certain situations. “In order to even catch a wave, you have to pay so much attention to proprioceptive information or you slip off your board; you also have to judge the best position to be in order to catch it, as well as to determine if another surfer has priority to catch a wave,” says Alloway.

In order to catch and ride that “narly wave”, you must use proprioceptive muscles to have you in the right position at the right time and that takes muscle memory.

Implementing exercises in your regime that requires balance, will greatly impact this area. Such activities should include climbing, kickboxing, ballet dancing and other similar movements.

Developing muscle memory helps with the overall conditioning of cognitive functioning in every-day-life situations, greatly decreasing the chances of developing dementia years down the line.