In addition to its effects on the body, physical exercise also leads to “mental fitness”— improved cognitive performance, including memory. A clinical study showed that elderly people who completed a ten-week walking program showed significantly superior mood and intellectual performance compared to another group of elderly subjects who continued their sedentary lifestyle. This effect has been confirmed in other studies that involved running and other strenuous forms of exercise. But how does physical exercise work against memory loss? There are at least three possible explanations:
1. Effects on circulation in the brain.
2. Release of endorphins.
3. Impact on nerve cell branching within the brain.
Exercise Improves Your Circulation and Mood
Can exercise increase “brain tone’’ by improving blood circulation and thus enhance memory? We know that regular exercise over a sustained period of time can reduce the formation of cholesterolrich plaques that can block blood vessels, sometimes even dissolving plaques that have already been formed, and thereby decrease the risk of both heart attacks and strokes. Just as lack of exercise leads to fat deposition and plaque formation in arteries, which can block blood circulation, exactly the opposite process may occur when a sound exercise regimen is implemented.
Taken From: The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss
and Enhance Memory Power
