Did you know that exercise can make your brain bigger?

By Blessing Kekema

It is weird to think that exercise is capable of making your brain bigger but research shows that it does!

Of course, you already know of the amazing benefits of exercise but there is much more to exercise that you do not know.

A study by the University of California- Los Angeles established a link between exercising regularly and bigger brains, especially the hippocampus which is the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memory. A bigger hippocampus means increased activity in the area.

The study also showed that those who exercise more tend to be less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s as they age.

The forms of exercise highlighted by the study include walking and lifting weights. The researchers found that exercise leads to improved short term memory and better retentive memory for things that have been learned. Indirectly, this means that exercise makes you smarter because you are retaining more of what you learn.

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You should know that the study focused on 60-year-olds but scientists say that there is evidence that these results can extend to people of other ages.

So now what?

Get off your butt and engage in some exercise, even if it is just cycling or long walks. Do your best to improve your brain size while reducing your waistline. Not a bad bargain, is it?

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