Daily exercise can keep your brain sharp, but timing matters most

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Your morning jog might do more than tone our thighs. It could literally grow your brains! Scientists say that daily exercise not only boosts heart health, but also keeps our memory sharper. And when you do it matters just as much as doing it at all. Physical activity has long been touted as a safeguard against heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain — but it’s also a key player in keeping your grey matter sharp.

According to researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of British Columbia, regular aerobic exercise doesn’t just improve heart health — it strengthens memory too. Aerobic exercise, in particular, has been shown to enlarge the hippocampus — the part of your brain responsible for memory and learning. This is especially important in an ageing population, where dementia is expected to affect over 115 million people globally by 2050 (as per World Dementia Report). Exercise boosts memory through lowering inflammation, increasing blood flow, and releasing growth factors that support new brain cells.

A 2016 study from Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands, published in Cell Press discovered that waiting four hours after learning something before exercising significantly boosts memory retention.

Also read | Benefits of exercises: Home workouts, walking, other easy workouts you can fit in your lifestyle

Participants who cycled after this delay remembered more, and brain scans confirmed stronger activity in their hippocampi. It turns out your brain might need time to “set” new information — and exercising too soon could disrupt that. Catecholamines like dopamine, released during workouts, may play a role in consolidating memory, particularly when they spike after that critical delay.

According to the Dutch study, when you exercise four hours after learning something new, your brain is more likely to remember it. Wait too long—or go too soon—and the effect disappears.

Exercise tips to boost memory

• Wait, then move: If you’ve just learned something, don’t hit the gym straight away. Give it about four hours. That’s the sweet spot where your brain starts locking things into memory.

• Pick heart workouts:Walking briskly, cycling, or dancing helps get your blood pumping, which delivers oxygen to your brain and supports memory areas like the hippocampus. Muscle workout may not have the same effect.

Also read | Fitness tips: Cardiologist weighs in on health benefits of morning aerobic routine, suggests best exercises

• Stay consistent: You don’t need to train like an athlete. Just 150 minutes a week (that’s 30 minutes, five times) of moderate exercise keeps both body and brain working well.

• Make it fun: Don’t stick with boring routines. Choose something you enjoy — be it swimming, gardening, or even a kitchen chore. If it gets your heart rate up, it counts.

• Boost your mood: Exercise helps with stress, sleep, and anxiety — all of which affect your memory. So don’t just think of it as fitness. It’s therapy, too — and way cheaper than a therapist.

• Keep company: Don’t do it alone. Walk with a friend, join a class, or hire a trainer. Having someone to nudge you helps keep you consistent (and it’s more fun, too).

• The best medicine: Treat exercise like a daily pill. You wouldn’t skip your heart tablets, would you? Your brain deserves the same respect. A little effort now keeps memory loss at bay.

FAQs on exercise benefits on brain

1. What are the benefits of daily aerobic exercise?

Daily aerobic exercise not only boosts heart health but also strengthens memory and enlarges the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

2. How does exercise improve memory?

Exercise improves memory by lowering inflammation, increasing blood flow, and releasing growth factors that support new brain cells.

3. Is the timing of exercise important for memory retention?

Yes, waiting four hours after learning something before exercising significantly boosts memory retention, as confirmed by a study from Radboud University Medical Center.

4. What type of exercise is best for boosting memory?

Aerobic exercises such as walking briskly, cycling, or dancing are recommended as they help deliver oxygen to the brain and support memory areas like the hippocampus.

5. How much exercise is needed to maintain both body and brain health?

Just 150 minutes a week (30 minutes, five times) of moderate exercise is sufficient to keep both body and brain working well.

6. Can exercise help with mood and stress?

Exercise helps with stress, sleep, and anxiety, all of which affect memory. It can be considered as therapy and is more cost-effective than seeing a therapist.

7. Is it better to exercise alone or with company?

Exercising with a friend, joining a class, or hiring a trainer can help keep you consistent and make the activity more enjoyable.

8. Should exercise be treated like daily medication?

Yes, treating exercise like a daily pill can help prevent memory loss, similar to how regular medication helps manage heart health.

9. Are there any specific recommendations for exercise routines to boost memory?

Wait four hours after learning something new before exercising, pick heart workouts, stay consistent with exercise, make it fun, boost your mood through exercise, and keep company while exercising for better consistency.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for a specific health diagnosis.