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There is a stereotype that athletes are not very smart people. Supposedly, they think only about workouts and sports nutrition, do not read books, and it’s better not to think at all when chasing a ball or working with iron in a gym. And if there is a sport that makes us smarter, it is only chess. Of course, this game is very intellectual, forcesa brain work to its fullest, and, certainly, increases intelligence.
However, physical activity can be no less useful for the development of intellectual abilities. If you want to improve not only your body but also your brain, it’s worth choosing the exercises reasonably. Let’s talk about the benefits of sports for the mind and find out what kinds of loads will make you not only strong and hardy but also smart.
1.Mood improves
It’s hard to force yourself to write an essay if you have a bad mood. Of course, such useful services as pro-papers.com can be a convenient way out of this situation, but if you want to write a paper on your own, it is necessary to catch an optimistic wave. Intensive power and prolonged aerobic exercises cause our hormonal system to release two hormones: serotonin and dopamine.
Serotonin improves the mood, brightens and saturates the colors of life, and also increases the body’s resistance to stress. Dopamine increases the acuteness of sensations and makes us more reasonable. Thus, the quality of life and the susceptibility to what is happening around improve.The brain begins to work more efficiently.
In the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, the results of studies were published, according to which aerobic loads led to a feeling of happiness. Half of the respondents who conducted aerobic training lasting 60 minutes noted an inflow of optimism, reduced fatigue and emotional tension.
2.Development of cognitive abilities
During training, the body’s need for oxygen increases. The heart rate raises, and the body, including the brain, receives significantly more oxygen. This leads to the fact that, after a physical exertion, cognitive ability grows by 10-15%. Such data were obtained during scientific research.
To maintain the brain in an efficient state, it is necessary to train for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. The best results will be achieved by those who will train 30-60 minutes 5 times a week.
Researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have proven that regular aerobic loads lead to an increase in the size of the hypothalamus and the cortex of the brain. Exactly the developed cerebral cortex is responsible for all the variety of properties inherent to human. Our thinking and learning abilities, creative imagination, and memory are the functions of gray matter. Thus, if its size increases, then all its functions are improved.
Thanks to 40-minute aerobic training (three times a week for a year), the size of the hippocampus in a head of an adult can increase by 2%. And this, in turn, improves the mechanisms of memory (a hippocampus is a part of the brain associated with the process of transition of short-term memory to long-term memory).
Curiously, but power training does not have such an impact on abrain. The primary role in intellectual development is assigned to an increase in heart rate and blood circulation. Strength exercises do not have significant influence on above mentioned parameters.
3.The ability to concentrate increases
But power training increases the ability of athletes to concentrate. Specialists from the University of Iowa found that this effect is due to the need not only to monitor the technique of performing exercises, but also to count repetitions. Under heavy loads, the brain must perform several complex operations simultaneously, as a result of which its functions are improved.
However, if the athlete is distracted during training and does not follow the technique, then the effectiveness for the brain is reduced.
What exercises are best for the brain? How should you train?
It’s not entirely correct to say that there are specific sports for the brain. Whatever type of physical activity you choose, if it activates blood circulation and provokes an inflow of oxygen, there will be positive results. Yoga, dancing, aerobics, cardio exercises are especially popular among those geniuses who prefer to train at home. There are a lot of video courses on the Internet, so you do not have to spend time to goto the gym.
If you thought about professional sports, it is necessary to understand that it has very little in common with health. And although the brain will develop at any physical load, it is worth considering several factors. Firstly, the training should bring pleasure, so do not torture yourself.However, it is also not recommended to be lazy: you will not gain muscles, develop endurance, and you will not become clever too.
What mode is optimal for a student who does not have much free time and opportunity to attend a sports center? There is almost no sense in training less than three times a week, 20 minutes. Even a morning warm-up should last at least 20 minutes.
The ideal schedule is 3 workouts per week for an hour each. In addition, there should be physical activity every day – 10 thousand steps. It is quite a lot in the realities of the modern world. And we are not talking about the movement through an office or from a computer to afridge at home.
Walks in the fresh air are very useful. In 2-3 months, the strengthening of connections in the area of the brain responsible for memory will begin. Again, the secret is simple – the blood flow increases, and accordingly, the supply of oxygen into the brain intensifies.
But if your “ideal” schedule has some negative health effects or it just causes negative emotions, then the sports program should be reviewed and, if possibly, reduced. In general, before you start training, it is good to consult with a specialist and undergo a survey in a health center.