Could it simply be because of exercising providing much needed break from focusing on worries in one's life? If so, any activity that one can enter into a state of flow can be beneficial.
Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
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Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#12The claim is that by running around outdoors, the brain gets used in a variety of ways such as navigation, decision-making, and sensory processing. Then why doesn't driving around in a car have similar benefits? Or does it?
The same question could be asked for many video games, which require the same things.
Video games do exercise the mind...
>In particular, playing Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day over two months increased adult volunteers’ brain volume in their right hippocampus, the right prefrontal cortex, and the cerebellum. These regions in the brain are responsible for memory formation, strategic planning, muscle control, and spatial navigation.
https://lifehacker.com/study-shows-playing-video-games-reall...
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#13The claim is that by running around outdoors, the brain gets used in a variety of ways such as navigation, decision-making, and sensory processing. Then why doesn't driving around in a car have similar benefits? Or does it?
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Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#14For more on this, check out “ Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by Dr. John Ratey.
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#15I do a stair climber, 2000 steps 5 days a week. I think this has a pretty good mix of cognitive and aerobic, I switch it up to skip steps, and stuff like that. I've not really noticed a huge change in energy, but resting heart rate etc have dropped considerably in the last year. I recommend a combo of this with a podcast to stave off the boredom. Mental clarity wise, I feel like your brain and body need the elevated heart rate etc, and this link seems to back it up.
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#16Could it simply be because of exercising providing much needed break from focusing on worries in one's life? If so, any activity that one can enter into a state of flow can be beneficial.
It's easy to say, but if you are focusing on what worries you, without doing anything to work toward or resolve what is worrying you, it's really just wasted mental energy. Once you can be honest with yourself about having done everything you possibly/reasonably can to mitigate whatever you are worrying about, then you can let it go.
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#17Could it simply be because of exercising providing much needed break from focusing on worries in one's life? If so, any activity that one can enter into a state of flow can be beneficial.
No, the article's whole assertion is why exercise specifically causes these benefits. I don't know how "oh, maybe I just need to stop worrying about things to reap these same benefits and activate these same pathways" is a possible take-away from the article.
Though it's tempting wishful thinking because it saves us from leaving our computer chair. "Maybe I can just enter a flow mode learning Elm/Rust instead of exercising!"
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#18There is a more interesting article in Scientific American and other places that humans evolved requiring an hour of vigorous exercise a day to avoid metabolic diseases like diabetes and dementia. Our closest relatives chimps and gorillas dont require vigorous exercise.
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#19>Less clear has been why physical activity affects the brain in the first place.
I think the studies are looking at this backwards. Physical activity should probably be looked at as the natural state of humans and ask why lack of physical activity affects the brain.
Then it probably makes a lot more sense, the brain is comprised of cells, just like muscles, that are either anabolic or catabolic. A lack of physical exercise is going to put all cells, including brain cells, in a catabolic state the same as muscle atrophy will waste away muscles due to lack of physical activity.
Cells are cells, they are where energy is made, they are binary only existing in anabolic or catabolic states and never simultaneously existing in both states. Lack of exercise put the cells in catabolic states and long term catabolic states lead to metabolic/energy production problems in the cells. So naturally if you consider lack of exercise as the natural state of humans, sure it will appear physical activity improve brain function.
Re: Evolutionary history and why physical activity is important for brain health
#20I do a stair climber, 2000 steps 5 days a week. I think this has a pretty good mix of cognitive and aerobic, I switch it up to skip steps, and stuff like that. I've not really noticed a huge change in energy, but resting heart rate etc have dropped considerably in the last year. I recommend a combo of this with a podcast to stave off the boredom. Mental clarity wise, I feel like your brain and body need the elevated…
Kettlebells have gotten a very bro-ey reputation but there are some great exercises that are a good mix of cardio and mental focus. Regular swings can get boring but learning to do snatches was punishing, yet fun, while forcing me to pay attention to my technique. Would definitely recommend it.