2. Understanding the link between exercise & cognitive wellbeing
Hello and welcome to
Exercise and Brain Health.
We will investigate
fascinating and intriguing
topics related to Exercise and
Brain Health.
Physical exercise (PE) is a
strong gene modulator that
induces structural and
functional changes in the
brain
3. What happens in the body and brain when we exercise?
Blood flow to the
brain increases
Your brain receives
more oxygen
Exercise causes the
brain to release
beneficial proteins,
such as BDNF
Modulates immunity
as well as the
neurotransmitters
4. Overview
There are numerous
reasons to engage
in physical activity.
Exercise changes the
brain in ways that
protect memory and
thinking skills.
Exercise benefits
memory and thinking
in both direct and
indirect ways:
Exercise benefits directly from its
ability to reduce insulin resistance,
inflammation, and stimulate the
release of growth factors
Exercise indirectly improves mood and
sleep while decreasing stress and
anxiety.
5. Precautions and Safety
The importance of
checking with a
healthcare provider
before starting new
physical activities.
Listening to your
body
Staying hydrated
6. Precautions and Safety cont
● Using appropriate gear
● Environment for exercise
● Partner if available
7. Connection Between Exercise and Brain Health
Exercise
has a
direct
impact on
brain
health
Various
types of
exercises
can improve
cognitive
functions
8. Connection Between Exercise and Brain Health CONT
• It manages symptoms of certain
mental health disorders.
• Potentially delay the onset of
neurological diseases
9. Types of Exercise
• Aerobic
• Strength training
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Recovery
10. Safety and Health Precautions when Starting a new Exercise Regime
● The key to safe exercise is moderation.
● Before beginning an exercise routine, consult your healthcare provider.
● Make an effort to develop a plan that includes attainable steps and goals.
● A minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week is recommended.
● Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
15. Ready for Exercise!!!
● Make it a systematic part of your life
● Stretch everywhere
● Hydrate well
● Food matters
● Walk and bike instead of drive when you can
16. Key Exercise Terms
● Neuroplasticity: The brain's ability to reorganize itself
● Cognitive Reserve: The ability of your brain to improvise
● Aerobic Exercise: Physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rate
● Anaerobic Exercise: Intense physical activity performed in short bursts
17. Key Neurotransmitters and Hormones
● Endorphins: Chemicals produced by the body
● Dopamine: A neurotransmitter - motivation, reward, and pleasure.
● Acetylcholine: A neurotransmitter - memory, learning, attention, arousal, and involuntary muscle movement
● Serotonin: A neurotransmitter - well-being and happiness.
● Cortisol: A steroid hormone, often released in response to stress.
● Anabolic steroids: A synthetic steroid hormone - testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle
● Growth hormone: is a natural hormone your pituitary gland makes and releases
● Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)**: A protein produced inside nerve cells - crucial for brain health, learning,
memory, and higher thinking.
18. Key Structural terms
● Neuron: Unit of the nervous system.
● Glial cells: are non-neuronal cells that do not produce electrical impulses.
● Axons: the long threadlike part of a nerve cell
● Synapse: the point at which a nerve impulse passes from one neuron to another.
● Hippocampus: A region of the brain crucial for learning and memory.
● Pre-frontal Cortex: The part of the brain responsible for executive functions
● Brain stem: the structure that connects the cerebrum of the brain to the spinal cord and cerebellum
● Spinal cord: long, tube-like band of tissue. It connects your brain to your lower back
● Peripheral nerve: part of your nervous system that lies outside your brain and spinal cord.
19. Key Anatomic terms
● The Sarcomere: The Basic Contractile Unit of Muscle
● Motor neuron: A nerve cell forming part of a pathway
● Ligament: Connects bones to other bones
● Tendon: Attaches muscle to bone.
● Muscle: a band or bundle of fibrous tissue - ability to contract, produce
movement or maintaining position.
20. Other Terms
● Neurogenesis: The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain.
● Physical Fitness: A state of health and well-being that allows one to perform daily activities
● Chronic Stress: Long-term stress that goes unmanaged and can lead to health problems.
● Motor Skills: Coordinated movements done with precision.
● Flexibility: The ability to move joints through their full range of motion.
Editor's Notes
My name is —--, and I will be your online course instructor. We will investigate fascinating and intriguing topics related to Exercise and Brain Health, such as the science behind Exercise, different types of Exercise, and how to begin your own exercise routine. It won't be long before you realize that exercise is all around you and an important part of your daily life. I hope you're as excited about the experience as I am. We'll spend the course working together, learning from one another, and cheering each other on. Welcome! I'm delighted you've decided to join us.
Physical exercise (PE) is a strong gene modulator that induces structural and functional changes in the brain, resulting in enormous benefits in both cognitive functioning and wellbeing.
Blood flow to the brain increases as your heart rate rises during exercise. Your brain receives more oxygen and nutrients as blood flow increases. Exercise also causes the brain to release beneficial proteins such as BDNF or brain derived neurotrophic factor, and also modulates the immune process and neurotransmitters in the brain.
There are numerous reasons to engage in physical activity. One of the most important is lowering the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. You might want to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, avoid depression, or simply look better.
Exercise changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills
Exercise benefits memory and thinking in both direct and indirect ways. - either through neurotransmitter modulation and through emotional modulation.
Exercise benefits directly from its ability to reduce insulin resistance, inflammation, and stimulate the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells. IN FACT IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE BRAIN CELLS AND NEURONAL CONNECTIONS – ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS THAT DOES THAT.
Exercise indirectly improves mood and sleep while decreasing stress and anxiety. These issues frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.
Pre-exercise screening is used to identify people who have medical conditions that put them at a higher risk of experiencing a health problem while participating in physical activity.
Listening to your body is an important part of maintaining a healthy mindset when it comes to exercise, nutrition, and life in general. Listening to your body allows you to know when to push harder, when to rest, and when to make dietary changes.
You must drink fluids during exercise to replace the fluids lost through sweating. You will reduce the risk of heat stress, maintain normal body function, and maintain performance levels in this manner. The general rule is that if you're sweating, you should drink fluids.
Wearing appropriate clothing lowers the risk of injury. Compression garments increase blood flow to the heart, supplying vital oxygen to working muscles. As a result, by controlling lactic acid accumulation, it reduces fatigue and soreness. The right clothing allows for an easy workout.
Environmental factors (such as heat, light, pollution, and hypoxia) can have a significant impact on one's physiological response to exercise.
While some people prefer a solo fitness routine because it allows them to stay on track and focused, others enjoy working out with a partner. This is because it helps them stay motivated during a workout, improves their performance, and makes them feel like they are having more fun.
Exercise has a direct effect on the body, causing physiological responses such as changes in insulin levels, inflammation, and endorphin release. It also encourages the creation of growth factors. These chemicals influence the formation of new brain cells and, as a result, have an active impact on the health of the brain.
Any type of movement, from walking and dancing to tai chi and yoga, is supported by research. However, it is possible that not everyone will benefit equally.
Exercise on a regular basis can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, and ADHD. It also reduces stress, improves memory, improves sleep, and improves your overall mood.
Exercise activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing the body to respond in an integrated manner to maintain an appropriate level of homeostasis for the increased demand in physical, metabolic, respiratory, and cardiovascular efforts.
Patients with neurological disorders who exercise have less stiffness, as well as less and even reversed muscle wasting. Exercise has also been shown in studies to improve gait, balance, tremor, flexibility, grip strength, and motor coordination in Parkinson's disease patients.
According to research, it is critical to get all four of these types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Each has distinct advantages. Doing one type improves your ability to do the others, and variety helps reduce boredom and injury risk.
The time between the end of a bout of exercise and the subsequent return to a resting or recovered state is referred to as recovery from exercise. It also refers to specific physiological processes or states that occur following exercise that differ from the physiology of either the exercising or resting states.
The key to safe exercise is moderation. Exercise programs that are safe begin slowly and gradually increase in frequency, intensity, and duration.
Before beginning an exercise routine, consult your healthcare provider and get a physical medical examination. This is especially true for those who are new to strenuous and vigorous physical activities.
Make an effort to develop a plan that includes attainable steps and goals. Beginning with small, attainable goals will increase your chances of success and keep you motivated along the way.
A minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week is recommended. However, it is critical to begin slowly and give your body time to rest.
Replenishing fluids during exercise is critical for maintaining peak performance. Furthermore, hydrating after your workout can aid in recovery and prepare you for your next training session.
To support your fitness program, eat a well-balanced diet. To maintain healthy energy levels and maximize your workout, you must consume foods from all food groups.
It is critical to warm up before beginning your workout. This will help you avoid injuries and improve your athletic performance. It can also help you improve your flexibility and reduce post-workout soreness.
Cooling down is also important because it assists your body in returning to normal.
If you aren't used to working out every day, be aware of your limitations. Stop and rest if you experience pain or discomfort while exercising. Pushing through pain is not a good idea because it can result in injuries.
We ask questions to learn more about something, and we respond to questions to provide more information. Asking and answering questions is not only a part of how we learn; we also ask and answer questions to be polite and to build and maintain relationships.
Partner work should ideally consist of two students who are enthusiastically working together on an activity, sharing ideas, and treating each other with respect. These two students are not only completing the task at hand, but they are also learning more about how to work cooperatively with others.
Comfort will help you minimize distractions, improve concentration and relaxation, reduce stress, and study more efficiently.
All outcomes, whether positive or negative, are only a part of the process.
Books have long been one of the most popular and dependable learning resources, and they remain an important source of knowledge and information even today. There are, however, many other learning resources available, such as online courses, podcasts, videos, and interactive tools.
Team learning is important because it encourages team members to collaborate, innovate, and solve problems. Individuals can use their collective knowledge and expertise to develop creative solutions to complex problems and achieve common goals when they learn as a team.
Place your workouts on your calendar or in your agenda on a daily basis. Make it a regular part of your routine.
Flexibility is not a given quality. It's simply the result of consistent practice.
The majority of healthy people can stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. Some people may require fewer than eight glasses. Others may require more. While plain water is the best way to stay hydrated, other drinks and foods can also help.
Food is necessary for your body for three reasons: it provides energy, it provides building materials for your body, and it helps control body processes.
Make it a habit to take the stairs at work or when you go shopping. Tighten your abs or squeeze your thigh muscles while sitting at your desk or standing in line.
Neuroplasticity: The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
Cognitive Reserve: The ability of your brain to improvise and find alternative ways to complete a task
Aerobic Exercise: Physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rate, such as running or swimming. Often referred to as "cardio".
Anaerobic Exercise: Intense physical activity performed in short bursts, such as weight lifting or sprinting, where energy demand exceeds oxygen supply.
Endorphins Chemicals produced by the body to relieve stress and pain, often released during exercise.
Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with motivation, reward, and pleasure.
Acetylcholine: a neurotransmitter involved in memory, learning, attention, arousal, and involuntary muscle movement
Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness.
Cortisol: A steroid hormone, often released in response to stress.
Anabolic steroids: a synthetic steroid hormone which resembles testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle
Growth hormone: is a natural hormone your pituitary gland makes and releases that acts on many parts of the body to promote growth
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)**: A protein produced inside nerve cells which is crucial for brain health, learning, memory, and higher thinking.
Neuron: the structural and functional unit of the nervous system.
Glial cells: are non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system that do not produce electrical impulses.
Axons: the long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.
Synapse: the point at which a nerve impulse passes from one neuron to another.
Hippocampus: A region of the brain crucial for learning and memory.
Pre-frontal Cortex: The part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, planning, and social behavior.
Brain stem: the structure that connects the cerebrum of the brain to the spinal cord and cerebellum
Spinal cord: long, tube-like band of tissue. It connects your brain to your lower back
Peripheral nerve: part of your nervous system that lies outside your brain and spinal cord. It plays key role in both sending information from different areas of your body back to your brain, as well as carrying out commands from your brain to various parts of your body
The Sarcomere: The Basic Contractile Unit of Muscle
Motor neuron: a nerve cell forming part of a pathway along which impulses pass from the brain or spinal cord to a muscle or gland.
Ligament: the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones
Tendon: a fibrous connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone.
Muscle: a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body
Neurogenesis: The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain.
Physical Fitness: A state of health and well-being that allows one to perform daily activities with vigor, reduces the risk of health problems related to lack of exercise, and provides a fitness reserve for emergencies.
Chronic Stress: Long-term stress that goes unmanaged and can lead to health problems.
Motor Skills: Coordinated movements done with precision, often involving the synchronization of muscular and nervous system actions.
Flexibility: The ability to move joints through their full range of motion. Flexibility exercises, such as stretching, are an important part of an overall fitness program.
