Fitness For Your Mind And Body
Fitness For Your Mind And Body
Scientists claim: regular training is helpful not only to keep fit but also to improve your mind. Still have doubts? We’ve got some proof.
As is widely known, all kinds of sport and workouts have lots of positive effects on our body: muscle building, improving health indicators as well as the immune system resistance, keeping the body fit and strong.
However, few know that regular training has also so-called “above-the-neck” (or mental) benefits.
Indeed, recent studies show that it’s not only yoga, boxing, batting practice, rock climbing, and other activities that require both physical and mental concentration that can significantly boost brain function. An ordinary hitting the gym and jogging in the mornings have that very effect too.
1. Memory
The brain, as well as muscles, need regular training. According to scientists, such physical activities as running, CrossFit, and dancing affect the work of the gray matter positively. The thing is the cardio workout starts the process of creating new neurons in the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and emotions. Thus, the more you train, the easier it is to learn and remember new information.
2. Creativity
Besides, training contributes to serotonin production and increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, which, in turn, affects the ability to think clearly and creatively, which arises immediately after the physical activity and lasts for some hours. Besides, sporting enthusiasts can come up with more interesting ideas than their couch-potato colleagues.
3. Concentration & Attention
People, who exercise regularly, are more productive and attentive employees. Weight training improves the concentration, as it requires controlling the technique and counting the number of sets and reps simultaneously. Cardio workout helps the brain to develop consistency, working memory, ability to prioritize. And if you want to become an employer’s dream with fantastic attention and great performance, it’s not necessary to be an Olympic champ – a 30 minutes’ walk daily is fine.
4. Mood & Depression
Sport makes the pain threshold higher and reorganizes the structure of the brain, helping it to deal with stress and fatigue. Physically active people tend to feel happiness, euphoria (exercise releases endorphins), and emotional stability. As depression primarily affects brain activity and the overall effectiveness of the body, direct control over it during exercise helps people to regain the grip on their own lives.
5. Learning Abilities
Systematic CrossFit training leads to a boost of the hypothalamus and the cerebral cortex, which are responsible for verbal memory and the ability to learn and assimilate new information. Nevertheless, strength training is not as effective in this regard, as they don’t increase the heart rate and blood circulation to the required level.
6. Stress Reduction
One of the root causes of stress is the fear that the list of current problems is so huge that it’s impossible to solve all of them. Since sports teach us both to set goals and to achieve them, it helps in stress reduction – and the University of Colorado’s research confirms this fact.
So, all kinds of workouts are exceptionally beneficial for our mind and body equally – just don’t waste your time and you’re gonna reach much more than you expect.
