It’s no secret that at Vintage Fitness we are big fans of exercise and the physical benefits that come with it. But what’s even better is that the benefits of exercise go beyond what meets the eye. Exercise can literally change your brain and its chemical make-up to make you happier and experience less stress.
Stress less
Regular exercise is proven to reduce the amount of stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) produced in your brain. Researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that it also stimulated endorphins which are the body’s natural pain killers and mood elevators.
Sleep better
Sleep is nothing short of magic – getting good sleep supercharges your body’s ability to heal, it boosts your immune system, calms and relaxes your mind all while you watch a crazy movie in your mind about you flying!? But doing regular exercise can make it easier to fall asleep, have a deeper, better-quality sleep (further increasing the benefits of sleep) and allows you to wake up with more energy.
Remember more
Exercise has both direct and indirect effects on improving memory. Directly, exercise encourages production of growth factors — chemicals that affect the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance, survival, and overall health of new brain cells. Studies also suggest that the parts of the brain linked with controlling thinking and memory are larger in volume in those who exercise than people who don’t. indirectly, exercise boost memory by improving sleep and reducing anxiety.