Can You Be More Alert with Exercise?
09/26/2012 Leave a comment
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| Photo Credit: Ranveig CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
Do you find yourself having difficulty paying attention sometimes? Is it hard to concentrate? Do you forget important information sometimes? People who regularly exercise their bodies tend to be more alert than people who do not exercise or exercise infrequently. When you exercise, blood flows to every part of your body, including your brain, is increased. If you exercise, you may be able to stay focused, be more alert and remember more information.
Student participants in a study by the California Department of Education, California Project Lean, “Successful Students Through Healthy Food and Fitness Policies” performed better on tests than than their classmates who did not exercise. The students who exercised also performed better overall as demonstrated by better reading and writing skills and better grades.
Exercise can also increase the size of your brain! A study published in The Journals of Gerontology, “Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans,” Stanley J. Colcombe, et al., older people who did aerobic exercise had larger brains after 6 months of exercise. The increased blood flow to the brain during exercise may contribute to increase in brain tissue. The people who took part in the study also demonstrated improved cognitive brain function.
When you exercise, it isn’t just your muscles that are growing. Your entire body, including your brain, benefits. Combine regular aerobic exercise with a healthy diet and you are on your way to improved fitness and greater mental alertness.
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