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Have you ever thought about how much movement matters?
Ask any medical professional or someone with good mental health, and they will tell you that exercise is essential for a healthy brain.
It’s not junk science; there are plenty of studies that prove movement benefits the body and the mind.
All of us can list the physical benefits of exercise quite quickly, but we don’t consider the mental and emotional benefits as frequently.
Let’s consider it a bit more and figure out why you need to get moving, so your brain can start grooving.
When you exercise, your brain gets a boost of oxygen which allows it to function better. It assists you with paying attention to the task at hand instead of getting distracted or procrastinating.
Getting more done is something you should strive for daily. The more productive you are, the more driven you become because your brain is happy.
A Stroop test is a popular attention-measuring exercise that you may be familiar with.
In this test, you are presented with the name of a color printed in a different color. The idea is to name the color of the print instead of the spelled-out word.
For example, the word “red” could have an ink color of yellow. You have to name it yellow and not red.
It can be confusing, especially if you can’t pay attention properly. Exercise can change that.
Research participants who exercise once will perform better on the test already. Try it yourself before exercising and then again afterward. See if you get a different score.
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for selective attention. This process has to be active during the Stroop test so that you can name the colors correctly.
Selective attention allows you to focus on one thing while ignoring other things. For example, selective attention is active when you concentrate on your partner’s voice and ignore other voices while in a busy restaurant.
The more you exercise, the more the prefrontal cortex (and other areas of your brain) can function better. Paying attention becomes easier, and it comes with more benefits like improved productivity, less procrastination, and clarity of mind.
Physical exercise does wonder for the brain, but there are also other ways to work out your brain. We call this Innercise™ since it happens internally.
Find out more about Innercise™ and get amazing mental strategies to do better by attending the Brain-A-Thon. It’s a virtual event that helps you overcome your fears and taps into the brain’s hidden potential.
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We’ve already discussed how your brain can function better. Exercise also improves your mental and emotional health.
If you talk to people who exercise frequently, they will tell you that they are in good spirits most of the time, especially after a workout session. This happens because exercise releases feel-good hormones.
As you exercise, your body and brain do a bunch of different things. The body produces endorphins, adrenaline, and dopamine, which all improve your mood and make you more confident.
Myokine, another chemical, is spread throughout the body as the muscles contract. This chemical decreases stress. It helps your body to fight depression and lower anxiety.
Both depression and anxiety can have life-altering effects, so finding ways to cope is essential. Some studies found that frequent exercise was as effective as medication to treat these conditions.
Even with medication, most healthcare professionals will recommend exercise as part of the treatment. Working out can only benefit you, so add a gym session every day and see how it affects your mental health.
All of us want to live our best lives. The best way to do this is by looking after ourselves which includes exercise.
Working out for just 30 minutes can change how you feel. It will leave you more positive and open-minded, so you think rationally rather than emotionally.
When you are in this mental state, you feel better about yourself. It boosts your confidence which in turn builds your self-esteem.
As your self-esteem and self-confidence improve, you will soon realize that you feel more mentally prepared to do all kinds of things.
You could find you are ready to do the half-marathon you never thought you could do before, maybe you feel more prepared to get back in the dating scene, or you confidently attend an interview for the job you always dreamed of.
The more you exercise, the more your brain builds connections. It allows information to flow better between different areas of the brain and body. This communication makes it easier for you to think clearly.
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All you need to do is learn more about how the brain works.
It isn’t necessary to go into tiny details or have a biology class—we have all the information you need in a digestible format that is easy to understand.
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It’s a well-known fact that a 30-minute exercise session can do wonders for the mind and body. One lecturer at a university wanted to test this idea to determine if shorter workouts can also be beneficial.
The lecturer conducted a virtual 30-minute session with students where they discussed different topics.
Since the class was happening virtually, the lecturer knew that students would be in casual attire but wanted to prove to them that exercise benefits could come about no matter what they were wearing.
It was a crucial test because far too often, we make up all kinds of excuses for why we can’t exercise.
After conducting a 20-minute talk, the lecturer gave the students a test to measure their anxiety levels. The scores were quite high.
Students were then asked to exercise with the lecturer for the last 10 minutes of the session.
The lecturer repeated the anxiety test at the end of the workout. Anxiety scores were drastically lower, and that was with a short burst of exercise.
Although it’s good to exercise for longer, even 10 minutes can make a remarkable difference.
If you aren’t in the habit of exercising or don’t feel up to it mentally, then the thought of working out can be daunting. It doesn’t have to be.
Commit to 10 minutes for today and then take it one day at a time. If you only do 10 minutes a day, it’s fine, or if you feel up to it, exercise for slightly longer on subsequent days.
To get you started, we’ve compiled some of our favorite 10-minute workouts.
Dancing is a feel-good activity. It gets your heart rate up, improves cardiovascular health, and is all-around fun.
Put on some music (or listen to whatever is on the radio) and move your body. It will only take two or three songs to hit the 10-minute mark.
Stretching is essential to have a toned body and will help you from feeling stiff. There are many stretches out there, so you could do some for your upper body, lower body, or even a specific muscle group like your lower back.
Take several deep breaths—in through your nose and out through your mouth—as you stretch.
A 10-minute cycle is enough to get your blood pumping faster and will send oxygen to your brain. Cycle around the block (or two or three) to get your fitness fix.
You have to carry your body around with you every day, so bodyweight exercises are ideal for functional fitness. These are exercises like push-ups, squats, and star jumps.
Choose five bodyweight exercises and do each one for 90 seconds with a 30-second pause in between. It’s a quick workout with heaps of results.
There are thousands of exercise videos on YouTube and similar platforms. If you search for “10-minute workout,” then you will get many options.
Select one of those videos and exercise along with the instructor.
Jumping is another cardiovascular activity with many benefits. It can be exhausting, but you can still make it to 10 minutes.
Use a jump rope to help you keep a rhythmic pace. Alternatively, hop on a trampoline and have fun.
The most basic exercise of all is walking. It is safe for most people can be done at a pace that suits you, and alters your entire body.
Go for an early morning walk, invite your friends to join you for a lunch-hour walk, or go for a short hike before dinner.
When your brain is happy, you are happy, so it only makes sense to look after your gray matter. Your brain health is important, but you can’t improve it if you don’t have the right tools.
Learn all the strategies and unique tools for mental success at the Brain-A-Thon.
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