Exercise makes you smarter

Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is a protein referred to as “Miracle-Gro” or fertilizer for the brain. BDNF improves the functions of neurons, encourages new neurons to grow and protects them from stress. Sprinkled on neurons in a petri dish, BDNF is observed to cause brain cells to sprout the structural branches required for learning. On the other hand, low levels of BDNF have been associated with depression and even suicide.

Exercise is the best way to increase your levels of BDNF. Daily aerobic exercise is best but including intervals of sprints are even better. In a recent study BDNF was shown to have a greater increase when volunteers completed two 3 minute sprints followed by 2 minutes of lower intensity aerobic exercise. Not only that, the sprinters learned vocabulary words 20 percent faster than non-sprinting exercisers. It seems even a small amount of high-intensity exertion can have a profound effect on your brain. In addition, research has shown that BDNF is a factor in the blood pressure control system which may explain why exercise helps to lower your blood pressure.

Of course you should use caution and talk to your doctor before commencing high intensity sprints or an aerobic exercise program as you need to be sufficiently conditioned before adding intervals of sprints. Speak to the good measures team if you would like more information on the benefits of exercise and how to get started.