How to changes our brains and affects our thinking
Running is the path to self-awareness and dependence you can push yourself to extremes and learn the harsh realities of your physical and mental limitations, or glide silently down a lonely path and watch the earth spin beneath your feet. Doris Brown Legacy. Are you familiar with this feeling?
Do you gain insight into your emotions and your body while running? Do you love the feeling of the breeze on your face and the freedom to be outside and be alone with your thoughts? You might feel, After a good run, your mind is clear and ready to absorb information.
You may also find that after your run your outlook is more positive and the things that bother you are not as bad. Well, there is science behind how you feel. In Neuro Research conducted in the scientific field has shown that aerobic exercise has an impact on cognitive clarity and emotional well-being.
Will create new neurons
It used to be widely believed that we were born with a certain number of neurons and that by the time we were adults, no new ones would be produced. However, this has proved to be incorrect.
Studies in animals have shown that new neurons are constantly being produced in the brain throughout our lives. The only activity that can trigger the birth of these new neurons is vigorous aerobic exercise, says Karen Postal, president of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.
If you work out until you break a sweat about 30 to 40 minutes new brain cells are born, Postal said. So working up a sweat on the treadmill or outside can do your brain a lot of good and help it stay mentally healthy for years to come.
People who run recover faster from negative emotions
A study by Emily Bernstein and Richard McNally found that aerobic exercise may help reduce negative emotions. Bernstein, who is a runner, said: I found myself feeling better when I was exercising.
She wants to find out why this is the case and know exactly how exercise affects us. The study looked at how exercise changes the way people respond to emotions.
Participants were asked to stretch or jog for 30 minutes before watching a sad movie; the final scene from the 1979 film The Champion. Participants then reported their emotional responses.
It was found that those who ran for 30 minutes recovered from the sad emotional experience faster than those who had just stretched.
Working memory will be enhanced
A recent study by Lin Li et al. Acute Aerobic Exercise raise Cortical Activity During Working Memory: A Functional MRI Study of girls College Students looked at the effects of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive function.
Their study looked at the effects of a bout of acute aerobic exercise on working memory. Fifteen young women took part in the study.
After a bout of vigorous exercise, they were scanned using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) while performing a working memory task. It was found that the cortex and left frontal hemisphere showed signs of improved control of the process.
From these findings, the researchers note, this suggests that vigorous exercise can benefit working memory at the macro-neural level. Thus, the study suggests a link between aerobic exercise and improved memory.
Next time you go out for a run, know you’re doing yourself a world of good. Not only are you helping your brain on a neurological level, you’re also working to improve your emotional health.
Your cognitive abilities, such as memory, will improve, and your outlook on life may become more positive.
If you haven’t run yet, then you might want to get those old running shoes out and give it a try.
This Is What Happens to Your Brain When You Run
Did you know that ultra runners’ brains shrink by up to 6% during their runs? A neuroscientist reveals nine ways tapping the pavement affects the mind and body.
When you run, have you ever stopped to think about what’s going on in your brain? Have you ever wondered what running does to your mood, stress and hormones?
We are very interested. So we chatted with neuroscientist Ben Martynoga about the science of tying your shoes and getting outside.
- The excitement of runners is real
It’s natural to feel fatigued during a run, but if you keep at it, you may feel your reward pathways, like endorphins and end cannabinoids, kick in Ben says. In a sense, the body makes its own drug. Endorphins are like opiates. End cannabinoids act on similar targets in the brain as marijuana. That’s not to say it’s addictive, but it Probably the reason for the elusive ‘runner’s high’ that makes the experience enjoyable.
- In the long run, your brain will shrink
Experiment have found that the brains of Ultra Runners shrink by up to 6% after running. Although the brain cells do recover over the next few months, Ben explains. It seems intuitive that a grueling run will drain your brain. Your brain is a small organ, but it uses 20% of your body’s calories. Putting your body through a rigorous physical Cognitive payoff.
- Stress isn’t just in the head
If you’ve had a stressful day at work, it affects your body. The hypothalamus at the base of the brain sends signals to the pituitary gland, which together send signals to the adrenal glands above the kidneys, Ben explains.
As a result, your body pumps out adrenaline and cortisol. Your heart rate increases, your pupils dilate, your blood pressure and breathing rate increase. It doesn’t help with the presentations you have to write.
But if you can recognize In that state, you can choose to do something more productive, like running.
- You were born to run
If you look at our evolution, it’s clear that your body wants to run, Ben said. It’s a great way to get back in control of your mind. There’s very clear evidence that running enhances your executive function allowing you to focus on the things you want to do, block out distractions, and solve problems. It also boosts your working memory, so a good run actually helps with that presentation.
- Running increases mindfulness
Running can help you get into a meditative state, a feeling of being present. You focus on your breath, your steps, and your surroundings, says Ben. If you’re lucky, you get into a flow state where you don’t worry about what happened yesterday, and you don’t worry about what’s going to happen tomorrow. You unload the worries of the day on the way home.
- The brain produces chemicals to help fight post-run inflammation
These drug-like chemicals can give you a euphoria that might keep you going until the end, Ben explained. People talk about how they forget about the long hell and only remember the positives after the fact, and that might be why. Psychologically, we value positive memories like a sense of accomplishment more than negative ones. In some cases , these chemicals can also help you get over the pain of post-run inflammation.
- Running can boost your memory
Some of these effects — including improved concentration and memory — persist after you stop running, Ben said. Your body gradually relaxes after running, but we think the effects are cumulative. The best research has been in children and the elderly. There is evidence that exercise over several months can increase the size of the hippocampus and improve certain some types of memory function.
- The lazier the body, the lazier the brain
Sitting all day is dangerous, Ben said. It is not just bad for your body, it is bad for your mental health. Your ability to engage with the world. It doesn’t have to be extreme, but being active is good for us and it’s very cheap.
- First step is the hardest
Getting started was the hardest part, reveals Ben. Part of that is making the decision to commit to taking the first step and deciding to deny the demands on your time.
Neuroscientists Explain How Running Changes Our Brains And Affects Our Thinking