Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
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Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
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Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#2Rodent studies aren't really great for measuring this because it's nearly impossible to control for the rodents' enjoyment of each exercise.
We know that rodents enjoy running wheels because they use them voluntarily. It's not surprising that the exercise they enjoy is the one that seems to produce the most benefits.
For humans: Doing any exercise is better than doing no exercise. Doing frequent exercise is better than doing infrequent exercise.
The most important thing is to pick an exercise that you enjoy, so you'll be more likely to get out and do it and less likely to come up with excuses to skip a day.
Even better: Find an exercise that includes some social activity, even if it's just getting outside and seeing other people in passing as you run past or being in a gym near other people. Social exposure is great for mental health, so combining it with exercise is a good one-two punch.
We do have some human studies on BDNF (measured via serum, because we can't get into human brains obviously) and exercise: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772595/ They didn't study different types of exercise, but they did find that longer duration exercise produced greater elevations of BDNF. You don't have to run marathons to capture some of this benefit. A long walk is good enough to get started.
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#3Rodent studies aren't really great for measuring this because it's nearly impossible to control for the rodents' enjoyment of each exercise. We know that rodents enjoy running wheels because they use them voluntarily. It's not surprising that the exercise they enjoy is the one that seems to produce the most benefits. For humans: Doing any exercise is better than doing no exercise. Doing frequent exercise is better th…
Yes, whether results for rodents on a seven week exercise program actually transfer to humans remains to be seen.
But I would like to point out that besides subjective preference and enjoyment, it is quite clear to me that humans are pretty crap compared to everything physical, except for long-distance running.
We are not the fastest. Not the strongest. Not the best swimmers or climbers.
But as an animal, and on a population level, we are really good at jogging.
So besides being useful for endurance hunting, perhaps it is also the kind of upkeep we need to stay healthy physically as well as mentally?
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#4*in rats
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#5Rodent studies aren't really great for measuring this because it's nearly impossible to control for the rodents' enjoyment of each exercise. We know that rodents enjoy running wheels because they use them voluntarily. It's not surprising that the exercise they enjoy is the one that seems to produce the most benefits. For humans: Doing any exercise is better than doing no exercise. Doing frequent exercise is better th…
Running and walking seems to be particularly good for thinking. Could be a link to our evolution, or the fact that it’s a simple exercise you don’t have to focus on and are free to think.
Sports are great for getting in the zone but usually too mentally taxing for background thinking. Boxing, for example, is amazing relaxation but you really can’t think about anything else during a round.
Sometimes high intensity stop all other thoughts is exactly what the brain needs. Other times prolonged low intensity gives just the space you need to hear yourself think.
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#6Rodent studies aren't really great for measuring this because it's nearly impossible to control for the rodents' enjoyment of each exercise. We know that rodents enjoy running wheels because they use them voluntarily. It's not surprising that the exercise they enjoy is the one that seems to produce the most benefits. For humans: Doing any exercise is better than doing no exercise. Doing frequent exercise is better th…
Running and walking seems to be particularly good for thinking. Could be a link to our evolution, or the fact that it’s a simple exercise you don’t have to focus on and are free to think. Sports are great for getting in the zone but usually too mentally taxing for background thinking. Boxing, for example, is amazing relaxation but you really can’t think about anything else during a round. Sometimes high intensity sto…
>Sometimes high intensity stop all other thoughts is exactly what the brain needs.
HIIT has been great for the rest of the day as long as I don't overdo it, but yeah, completely focused on the workout during that.
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#7"Solvitur ambulando" - it is solved by walking[1].
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Running and walking seems to be particularly good for thinking. Could be a link to our evolution, or the fact that it’s a simple exercise you don’t have to focus on and are free to think. Sports are great for getting in the zone but usually too mentally taxing for background thinking. Boxing, for example, is amazing relaxation but you really can’t think about anything else during a round. Sometimes high intensity sto…
>Sometimes high intensity stop all other thoughts is exactly what the brain needs. HIIT has been great for the rest of the day as long as I don't overdo it, but yeah, completely focused on the workout during that.
I find HIIT doesn’t do it for me. Can’t push myself hard enough in such short bursts because I have ridiculous cardio conditioning* from running. Boxing is great because it’s hiit but with technique and tactics and strategy.
* ridiculous conditioning in that I can keep average heart rate at 155bpm for 2 hours no problem. Most hiit isn’t long enough to get me above 110
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#9First step: Exercise at all.
Second step: Optimize, but be careful that it doesn't end up compromising step 1.
Re: Which type of exercise is best for the brain? (2016)
#10"Solvitur ambulando" - it is solved by walking[1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvitur_ambulando
Definitely. In my case, biking has a similar effect. It seems that I get most of my work settled during my morning bike commute.