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0 / 31 Fotos
Dr. Wendy Suzuki
- Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki claims that exercise is the single most transformative thing you can do for your brain.
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1 / 31 Fotos
The brain - The brain is the most complex structure known to human kind.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
The brain
- The hippocampus is the part of the brain that allows you to form and retain memories.
© iStock
3 / 31 Fotos
The brain
- The pre-frontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for decision making, focus, attention, and personality.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- Dr. Suzuki began her journey to discovering the incredible ways exercise impacts these sections of the brain while she was working on a project related to memory.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- She was working non-stop every day until she realized that she had no social life, was barely moving and therefore gaining weight, and was miserable.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Her story - She decided to make a big change and began trying out every workout class at the gym.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- She experienced a great boost in mood and energy after every class, which kept her going back.
© iStock
8 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- As this exercise program became part of her routine, she felt healthier and stronger, but she noticed surprising benefits in other areas of her life.
© iStock
9 / 31 Fotos
Her story - She felt more focused and attentive at work, and her long-term memory seemed stronger.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Research
- She began to research the effects of exercise on the brain, and discovered a growing area of research.
© iStock
11 / 31 Fotos
Research
- She was amazed at how powerful exercise was, and decided to make it the focus of her work.
© iStock
12 / 31 Fotos
Results - She discovered that a single workout will immediately increase levels of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. This is what causes the improvement in mood.
© iStock
13 / 31 Fotos
Results
- A single workout can significantly increase your focus and attention afterwards. Those effects can last for up to two hours.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Results
- A single workout also improves your reaction times. You might be able to catch that glass that got knocked off the counter before it hits the floor!
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Results
- Those are the immediate upsides of exercising, but you can get the really important, long lasting benefits by exercising regularly.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Results - This is because consistent physical activity can change the anatomy, physiology, and functioning of the brain.
© iStock
17 / 31 Fotos
Results - For example, exercise causes the creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus! That improves your long-term memory.
© iStock
18 / 31 Fotos
Results - It can also provide long-term improvements to your focus and attention by expanding the pre-frontal cortex.
© iStock
19 / 31 Fotos
Results
- The most amazing service exercise provides to your brain is protection.
© iStock
20 / 31 Fotos
Results - Those two areas of your brain, the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex, are the most susceptible to degenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Results - While exercise doesn't make you immune to these diseases, it does delay and reduce the effects.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Results
- Physical activity will help you build a strong brain that can fight off the symptoms for a long time.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Naturally, the question everyone asks is: what's the minimum amount of exercise I need to do to get these benefits?
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - The rule of thumb is that you need to exercise three to four times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time.
© iStock
25 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - It's essential to get aerobic exercise. You want a raised heart rate and a little bit of sweat!
© iStock
26 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - It doesn't need to be expensive or time-consuming. Go for a power walk, take the stairs more often, or dance around the house while cleaning and belting Tina Turner!
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Dr. Suzuki is working on building exercise 'prescriptions' for individuals based on their age, lifestyle, health, and genetic background.
© iStock
28 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - She believes this will maximize the benefits we can get from exercise today, as well as providing the best protection and functioning for our brains in the future.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Exercise
- As if we needed another reason to exercise... No more excuses! Here are some ideas to start working out at home.
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Dr. Wendy Suzuki
- Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki claims that exercise is the single most transformative thing you can do for your brain.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
The brain - The brain is the most complex structure known to human kind.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
The brain
- The hippocampus is the part of the brain that allows you to form and retain memories.
© iStock
3 / 31 Fotos
The brain
- The pre-frontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for decision making, focus, attention, and personality.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- Dr. Suzuki began her journey to discovering the incredible ways exercise impacts these sections of the brain while she was working on a project related to memory.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- She was working non-stop every day until she realized that she had no social life, was barely moving and therefore gaining weight, and was miserable.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Her story - She decided to make a big change and began trying out every workout class at the gym.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- She experienced a great boost in mood and energy after every class, which kept her going back.
© iStock
8 / 31 Fotos
Her story
- As this exercise program became part of her routine, she felt healthier and stronger, but she noticed surprising benefits in other areas of her life.
© iStock
9 / 31 Fotos
Her story - She felt more focused and attentive at work, and her long-term memory seemed stronger.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
Research
- She began to research the effects of exercise on the brain, and discovered a growing area of research.
© iStock
11 / 31 Fotos
Research
- She was amazed at how powerful exercise was, and decided to make it the focus of her work.
© iStock
12 / 31 Fotos
Results - She discovered that a single workout will immediately increase levels of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. This is what causes the improvement in mood.
© iStock
13 / 31 Fotos
Results
- A single workout can significantly increase your focus and attention afterwards. Those effects can last for up to two hours.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Results
- A single workout also improves your reaction times. You might be able to catch that glass that got knocked off the counter before it hits the floor!
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Results
- Those are the immediate upsides of exercising, but you can get the really important, long lasting benefits by exercising regularly.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Results - This is because consistent physical activity can change the anatomy, physiology, and functioning of the brain.
© iStock
17 / 31 Fotos
Results - For example, exercise causes the creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus! That improves your long-term memory.
© iStock
18 / 31 Fotos
Results - It can also provide long-term improvements to your focus and attention by expanding the pre-frontal cortex.
© iStock
19 / 31 Fotos
Results
- The most amazing service exercise provides to your brain is protection.
© iStock
20 / 31 Fotos
Results - Those two areas of your brain, the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex, are the most susceptible to degenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Results - While exercise doesn't make you immune to these diseases, it does delay and reduce the effects.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Results
- Physical activity will help you build a strong brain that can fight off the symptoms for a long time.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Naturally, the question everyone asks is: what's the minimum amount of exercise I need to do to get these benefits?
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - The rule of thumb is that you need to exercise three to four times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time.
© iStock
25 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - It's essential to get aerobic exercise. You want a raised heart rate and a little bit of sweat!
© iStock
26 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - It doesn't need to be expensive or time-consuming. Go for a power walk, take the stairs more often, or dance around the house while cleaning and belting Tina Turner!
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - Dr. Suzuki is working on building exercise 'prescriptions' for individuals based on their age, lifestyle, health, and genetic background.
© iStock
28 / 31 Fotos
Exercise - She believes this will maximize the benefits we can get from exercise today, as well as providing the best protection and functioning for our brains in the future.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Exercise
- As if we needed another reason to exercise... No more excuses! Here are some ideas to start working out at home.
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
The life-changing ways exercise modifies your brain
Physical activity can uplift your spirits, enhance your focus, and reduce dementia risk
© <p>Shutterstock</p>
Many of us don't think about our brains all that often. We're more likely to focus on immediate problems like a twisted ankle or a sinus infection. But if we stop to think about it, it's clear that investing in our brains is the best thing we can do for our futures. That sounds complicated, but it turns out it's easy!
It's the same solution as goes for the majority of modern health problems: exercise. Get moving regularly and you'll be thanking yourself when you're 85 and sharp as a tack. Click through the following gallery to learn all about it.
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