For years, studies after studies have shown that exercise improves brain activity. But what is the ideal dose? It is only recently that scientists are discovering the prescription and the time needed to achieve the greatest momentum. The new research has discovered that a hormone that is released during exercise can improve brain health and decrease the damage and memory loss that occur during dementia.
Considerable scientific evidence already shows that exercise reshapes the brain and affects thinking. The researchers showed in rats and mice that running stimulates the creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus, a part of the brain dedicated to the formation of memory and storage. Exercise can also improve the health and function of synapses between neurons, allowing brain cells to communicate better. In people, epidemiological research indicates that being physically active reduces the risk of Alzheimer and other dementias.
Biological explanation
An international consortium of scientists decided to go deeper to understand how physical exercise positively impacts brain functioning. The first discovery came in 2012. They found the Irisin hormone that is produced by muscles during exercise. The hormone initiates multiple biochemical reactions throughout the body, most of which are related to energy metabolism.
The research introduced doses of irisin into the brains of mice that were bred to develop Alzhaimer. Soon, the animals started to do better in memory tests and showed signs of improvement in synaptic health.
Putting it into practice
Big companies like Google and Reebok are strategically using physical activity to make employees smarter and more productive.
“They are going beyond just seeing exercise as something to keep their workforce healthy,” says John Ratey, a Harvard psychiatrist and author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. “They realize that it is important for performance.” Try these four tips to get a greater cognitive boost from your next workout.
1. Wake up and start straight
Train in the morning. Only 60 minutes of training at Gracie Sydney stimulates the brain to achieve peak intellectual performance, balancing the neurochemicals that contribute to cognitive functioning. While the benefits of morning exercise extend throughout the day, they are strongest in the 90 to 120 minutes after a workout.
2. Make it hard:
Aerobic sports that require coordination, rhythm and strategic thinking, such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also promote neurogenesis, or the growth of new brain cells, making you more intelligent in the long run.
3. Multitask
Combining brain and body tasks strengthens the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain associated with perceived exertion, making hard work easier. The results are long-lasting. Let’s say that in the first training of jiu-jitsu it seems impossible to think strategically while having to follow your instincts to spar with your training partner. But, with constancy, in a few weeks the strategic thinking will come automatically!
IN CONCLUSION:
Yes, Brazilia Jiu-Jitsu not only strengthens and improves the functioning of your entire physical body, but it also helps to preserve the health of your brain – against mental illness, aging or various other types of diseases. You only need to book your free trial and come for the family now. And, if you are a current member, just show up on the mats. Once you are here, the miracle begnis.
See you on the mats,
Gracie Humaita Sydney.