Exercise There are many reasons to exercise and many excuses for putting it off. When we're busy it can be
difficult to put time into a workout particularly when the rewards of physical improvement, such as
weight loss or increased fitness, can be slow to develop. However evidence suggests that exercise can
enhance brain function and offer immediate improvements in mood.
Aerobic exercise both increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) essential for the
growth of brain cells, and promotes the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus. The hippocampus
is an area of the brain vital for learning, memory, and executive control processes such as planning and
multitasking. Strength training is also considered to play a part in improving cognitive function.
However, more research is needed into the specific effects of different types of exercise.
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Exercise has been shown to have almost immediate mood enhancing effects and can also have a key
role in treating and preventing conditions such as anxiety and depression. The positive effects of
exercise on mood may be due to a number of factors including an increase in serotonin (a
neurotransmitter), and the normalising effect of exercise on sleep patterns, which in turn provides
protection for the brain.
It is always a good idea to have a medical check-up before beginning any exercise program but there's
no need to take out an expensive gym membership. For those of us who are exercise shy, the good
news is that the mood benefits of moderate exercise can occur even more quickly than those of high
intensity exercise. It is not necessary to
to embark upon a rigorous exercise program in order to make
positive changes to mental functioning. For many of us simply incorporating a few weekly sessions of
exercise involving walking, cycling, swimming or dancing will provide benefits.
So having a heavy workload or feeling sad shouldn't be seen as a reason not to exercise. Time out for a
walk could be just the thing to lift our spirits and our productivity