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What’s the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today?
Exercise! says neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. Get inspired to go to the gym as Suzuki discusses the science of how working out boosts your mood and memory — and protects your brain against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
The best types of exercise for enhancing mood and cognitive function are those that are most beneficial.
The importance of exercise for maintaining physical health has long been established, but recent research indicates that it can also greatly benefit brain function. In her TED talk titled “The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise,” Wendy Suzuki delves into the ways that exercise can change the brain for the better.
Suzuki, a neuroscientist and professor at the New York University Center for Neural Science, speaks from personal experience. She incorporated exercise into her life after a period of burnout and depression. While the physical benefits of exercise are well-known, including improved immune function, cardiovascular health, and weight management, the ways in which it can change the brain are less commonly discussed.
Suzuki explains that exercise can stimulate the release of certain chemicals in the brain, including neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with positive mood and motivation. It can also prompt changes in the structure of the brain itself, particularly in the hippocampus, the area responsible for learning and memory. Studies in animal models have shown that exercise can increase the production of new neurons in this area, leading to improvements in cognitive function.
Interestingly, Suzuki notes that not all forms of exercise are created equal, at least when it comes to their impact on the brain. Specifically, exercise that is both challenging and enjoyable seems to have the most significant effects. Activities like aerobic exercise, weight training, and dance have all been shown to promote brain changes that can lead to improved mood and cognitive function.
While the specifics of how exercise impacts the brain are still being studied, Suzuki suggests that incorporating activity into daily life can have enormous benefits for well-being. She suggests setting achievable goals for exercise, finding activities that feel enjoyable, and building it into daily routines as ways to begin reaping these benefits.
Overall, Suzuki highlights an important point: that physical health and mental health are closely linked, and that by choosing to prioritize exercise, individuals can make a positive impact on both. The brain-changing benefits of exercise are yet another reason to incorporate physical activity into daily life, for the sake of both body and mind.
