Can you train your brain? The answer is yes, and this pursuit been a new
trend in the personal fitness industry.
According to a study published in LiveScience,
Brain Gain: Aerobic Exercise Pumps up Gray Matter, researchers found that participants who participated in aerobic exercise
four times a week for six months showed a greater increases in brain volume
than participants who exercised for that same amount of time by stretching.
Time magazine also says that exercise is good for your brain, reducing
the risk of Alzheimer’s and slowing brain aging for up to 10 years—in
The Simple Reason Exercise Enhances Your Brain!
Time referenced a research review published in the
British Journal of Sports Medicine that examined the results of 39 studies in brain health and activity.
The researchers found a clear link between aerobic exercise and cognitive
function as well as resistance training and the effect on executive function
and memory, too.
So how can you exercise
your brain? Try these tips to exercise your brain along with the rest of your body!
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Try something new: Never been to Zumba? Maybe it’s time to drop the weights for a day
and try a new activity like dancing or yoga that requires you to use coordination
differently. You can teach old dog new tricks!
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Switch it up: Use your opposite hand to do physical activity. You can also do your exercises
backwards—walk backwards, start at the bottom instead of the top
etc. Stand on one foot. Simply trying a new angle or challenge will help
your brain work differently.
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Do some math or trivia: Use playing cards to solve math problems between sets. Or use the cards
to “add up” how many repetitions you’ll do of your exercise.
Look at trivia while using the elliptical or stepmill. Brain games are
being used in elementary schools all over—for example, students
use their reading sight words while playing in physical education classes.
Check out this fun article about training your brain from U.S. News and
World Report:
How to Hack Your Workout for Brain Health, by Anna Medaris Miller.
Rachel Wilde, PBT, CPT, MA, works at CCH
Wellness as a Technician and Phlebotomist. Campbell County Health Wellness works
to reduce health risks and promote overall wellness among employee groups
and individuals across the northeastern Wyoming region. At Wellness, you
can receive
daily community blood draws, lab tests, and health and wellness screenings in Gillette, Wyoming, from
6-11 am Monday-Friday. To learn more about Wellness, please visit
www.cchwyo.org/Wellness or call 307.688.8051.