Exercise for your brain's benefit - the latest research shows how to maximize your mind:
Bottom Line: It's no secret that your whole body benefits from being physically fit. That's not to say that we've had all of the answers as to what the brain's benefit due to being physically fit may be...it appears as though we're getting closer to getting an answer.
According to a new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine we have new insight into how physical fitness equates to brain activity. The first, significant finding, was that physical fitness not only can help ward off cognitive impairment - which often eventually leads to dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease but it can even improve the overall brain function of those who're already suffering with some of the effects of cognitive impairment.
Next up the study found that the brain's benefit was highest when multi-component exercise occurred. That's a fancy way of saying both resistance and aerobic activity - this is consistent with the findings of previous studies. What's more is that there's a new standard length of daily exercise that's deemed to be ideal for your brain. The researchers found that while any exercise is better than none - 45 minutes is ideal for your brain daily. This is notable in part due to the differences in minimum recommendations for your body's physical fitness - which is currently 30 minutes per day.
So you have another reason to motivate to engage in physical fitness and to stay with it a bit longer than usual. Exercise is good for what you can see physically and for what allows you to see.