Train for a better body and brain

Matinee Kramer/Staff writer

As the weather gets warmer, many of us head out to take part in local marathons, biking races or hit the sandy beaches for some fun in the sun. To fuel up for these activities, it’s important to eat right as well as exercise. It’s common knowledge that exercise is important, but exercising isn’t just for physical health; it also makes you feel happier and can melt your worries away.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get two and a half hours of moderately intense activity each week, but for some of us, finding the time and energy to do it can be a struggle. Almost 80 percent of adults don’t meet these basic fitness goals. The physical benefits of regular exercise are important but so are the psychological ones.

Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, recently published a study which found that older adults, who reported either light or no exercise at all, experienced a cognitive decline equal to 10 more years of aging when compared to people who were moderate to intense exercisers. In other words, the study found that exercise stimulates brain activity apart from the physical benefits.

Each person has about 86 million neurons in the brain, and these neurons are designed to work with chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters, to help regulate almost everything in the body. Richard Maddock, MD, a research professor at UC Davis Medical Center, stated in The Journal of Neuroscience that if these neurotransmitter levels are low — particularly glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid — it can lead to mood disorders, namely depression. With moderate exercise, the level of these neurotransmitters will increase.

In addition, regular exercise can boost one’s mood. The American Psychological Association stated that exercising can help make one feel happier.

“The link between exercise and mood is pretty strong. Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise you get a mood-enhancement effect,” Michael Otto, a psychology professor at Boston University said to the APA.

Constant stress can be detrimental to overall health, especially the brain. Dianna Purvis Jaffin, Ph.D., director of Strategy and Programs at the Center for Brain Health’s Brain Performance Institute, explained in an interview with Healthy Magazine that stress makes the brain secrete the “fight or flight” hormone called cortisol.

This hormone is helpful in dire situations, but high levels of cortisol have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and memory loss. In order to bring things back to a healthy level and reduce stress, an increase in fitness routine is recommended. By doing so, it can biologically toughen up the brain to lower the impact of stress in the long run.

Another big benefit of exercise is that it improves sleep. College students know all too well the life of sleep deprivation and stress.

A recent study of young people found that those who worked out intensely in the evenings slept better than their peers who didn’t work out or who worked out less intensely. The ones who exercised more vigorously also fell asleep faster, woke up fewer times throughout the night and slept more deeply. This, in turn, provides more energy throughout the day and helps maintain a regular sleep schedule.

These are only some of the many benefits of what exercise can do to the brain and body. For Panthers on vacation and taking summer classes, it’s important to engage in a consistent fitness routine to benefit both the mind and the body.

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of FIU Student Media Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Image by Fit Approach, retrieved from Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fitapproach/6814589739/in/photolist-boby7x-o6DCyC-5m5yN6-4YDfE-tbVGv-dftv79-bobyyT-2snYP8-8CUN4-bwpozo-3iChg6-KKxWn-7XuVuk-KKxS2-dze6Sg-7Xy9bG-nphZfd-bHbm3-ozN6Nu-aj9988-nQA3a-8CUNy-eW5JU-55ddZA-gWA8WA-4FDBYd-7kZkfG-cNu2W-bobxZt-L8LUc-KKmZo-KKnfE-dmmP7P-9Q4QQQ-2Yyo8-KKxUX-KKxU8-5vFQBL-8chFWT-oYm9eF-KKxSZ-KKxKp-KKxTD-FsdBu-neWgZe-dwdv3Y-Ft52M-KKn4m-agVcdU-cgZiSs