Physical Exercise for a Better Brain
Most of us that physical exercise is good for our general health, but did you know that physical exercise is also good for you brain? If you think you’re going to get smarter sitting in front of your computer or watching the television, think again. Here scientists present the evidence that a healthy human being is a human doing.
Our Sedentary Society
Not too long ago, futurists envisioned human evolving giant thumbs in response to a push button world. They did not foresee humanity's real response to all its labor-saving conveniences – a sedentary, inactive society with a deteriorated vascular system and consequent decline in physical and mental health. Nearly half of young people ages 12 to 21 do not participate in vigorous physical activity on a regular basis. Fewer than on in hour children report getting at least half an hour of any type of daily physical activity and do not attend any school physical education classes.
In 2001, American news channels reported that school children spend 4.8 hours per day on the computer watching TV or playing video games. While we don’t have the statistics for Australia, recent information suggest as a nation we are close if not already overtaken America as the Worlds Fattest Nation. This is perhaps a reflection of the attitude towards exercise instilled at a early age.
Walking Benefits Brain
Exercise is a natural part of life, although these days we have to consciously include it in our daily routine. Biologically, it was part of survival, in the form of hunting and gathering or raising livestock and growing food. Historically, it was built into daily life, as regular hours of physical work or soldiering. What is now considered a form of exercise – walking –was originally a form of transportation.
Walking is especially good for your brain, because it increases blood circulation and the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. Walking is not strenuous, so your leg muscles don't take up extra oxygen and glucose like they do during other forms of exercise. As you walk, you effectively oxygenate your brain. Maybe this is why walking can "clear your head" and help you to think better. Movement and exercise increase breathing and heart rate so that more blood flows to the brain, enhancing energy production and waste removal. Studies show that in response to exercise, cerebral blood vessels can grow, even in middle-aged sedentary animals.