Aerobic exercise and its positive effects on brain + other health benefits

Exercise stimulates the body, brain and mind and imparts several health benefits to help fight dangerous diseases. Aerobic exercise, in particular, has been known for some incredible effects it has on us. Here's more.

A recent Japanese study revealed how short bouts of aerobic exercise that doesn't require much concentration, can go a long way in helping recharge your brain at work. The researchers were able to observe a marked positive change in the mental performances of the subjects. Just 30 minutes of stationary cycling was able to make the brain sharper and mentally alert, according to the study. Aerobic exercises refer to a set of low to high-intensity exercises that essentially make you sweat and cause your heart to beat faster. They make you breathe quickly to ensure the oxygen intake in your body adequately meets the demands of physical exertion you do. Some examples of aerobic exercises are cycling, sprinting, jumping jacks, Zumba, skipping, swimming etc. There are several reasons why aerobic exercises should be a part of your daily routine. Here are some of them:

1) Delays risk of Alzheimer's Disease: A study by the University of Connecticut showed that engaging in aerobic exercises such as spinning, running, walking may be three times more effective than other types of exercise in delaying the risk of Alzheimer's disease as well as improving cognitive function in older adults. The study also showed that older adults at risk for or who have Alzheimer's, who did aerobic exercise by itself experienced a three times greater level of improvement in their ability to think and make decisions than those who participated in combined aerobic training and strength training exercises.

2) Helps schizophrenia patients: Aerobic exercise can improve the 'cognitive deficits,' like loss of working memory linked with schizophrenia, says a study by the University of Manchester. The clinical trials of this study showed that patients who are treated with aerobic exercise programmes, such as treadmills and exercise bikes, in combination with their medication, will improve their overall brain functioning more than those treated with medications alone. Greater amount of exercise had the greatest effects on cognitive functioning, the researchers said.

3) Improves cardiac function in heart failure: Aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, running, jogging or swimming is likely to restore the cardiac protein quality control system in heart failure, said a research published in Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

4) Prevent or repair alcohol damage to the brain: A team of US researchers found that aerobic exercise may protect white matter in the brain from alcohol-related damage. The study suggests that individuals who have experienced alcohol-related brain problems could possibly use exercise to help recover those effects.

5) Increase linguistic skills in the elderly: The Journal Scientific Reports states that older adults' aerobic fitness levels are directly related to the incidence of age-related language failures such as "tip-of-the-tongue" states. People in a tip-of-the-tongue state have a strong conviction that they know a word but are unable to produce it, and this phenomenon occurs more frequently as we grow older.

6) Helps counter ill-effects of menopause: Aerobic exercises like walking can help to reduce inflammation of the joints, aches and pains and also increase the bone mineral density of spine in postmenopausal women.

With inputs from IANS