The Benefits of Engaging Your Brain During Workouts!
A recent study reinforced an important concept – that including a mental challenge as part of a workout can produce significant benefits above and beyond merely challenging yourself mentally! Researchers tested the effects of orienteering on brain function and memory – comparing it to just exercise at the same intensity. The results - added to a growing amount of evidence – showed that you can dramatically enhance the cognitive benefits of exercise by adding in a mental challenge. Exercise improves brain health in many ways both short and long term. One big mechanism is an increase in BDNF – Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor – which acts like Miracle Grow for the brain. In particular high intensity exercise and the lactate produced during it stimulate BDNF release. This BDNF increase is particularly important in the Hippocampus area of the brain which is associated with learning and memory, and the Hippocampus shrinks during aging. The researchers compared the effects of completing a 1.3 kilometer course in one of three conditions: walking, running, or running while navigating – orienteering. Running in both conditions produced higher lactate levels and the highest BDNF levels. But only running with navigation produced better scores on a test of special memory. In other words, the brain circuits that got the biggest boost where the ones that were used during the orienteering workout! Another multicenter trial showed that a mix of aerobic exercise and cognitive training warded off cognitive decline more effectively than exercise alone. Adding in a mental challenge can be done many different ways such as using cardio machines with gaming components built in such as the Expresso Bikes or Echelon Bikes.
A recent study reinforced an important concept – that including a mental challenge as part of a workout can produce significant benefits above and beyond merely challenging yourself mentally! Researchers tested the effects of orienteering on brain function and memory – comparing it to just exercise at the same intensity.
The results - added to a growing amount of evidence – showed that you can dramatically enhance the cognitive benefits of exercise by adding in a mental challenge. Exercise improves brain health in many ways both short and long term. One big mechanism is an increase in BDNF – Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor – which acts like Miracle Grow for the brain. In particular high intensity exercise and the lactate produced during it stimulate BDNF release.
This BDNF increase is particularly important in the Hippocampus area of the brain which is associated with learning and memory, and the Hippocampus shrinks during aging.
The researchers compared the effects of completing a 1.3 kilometer course in one of three conditions: walking, running, or running while navigating – orienteering. Running in both conditions produced higher lactate levels and the highest BDNF levels. But only running with navigation produced better scores on a test of special memory. In other words, the brain circuits that got the biggest boost where the ones that were used during the orienteering workout!
Another multicenter trial showed that a mix of aerobic exercise and cognitive training warded off cognitive decline more effectively than exercise alone.
Adding in a mental challenge can be done many different ways such as using cardio machines with gaming components built in such as the Expresso Bikes or Echelon Bikes.
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