Exercise rs Memory and Mood

Memory

Aerobic exercise plays a big role in your memory, says Wendy Suzuki, PhD, professor of neural science and psychology at New York University’s Center for Neural Science. 

“When you exercise, your body pumps out a wide range of neurochemicals, including growth factors that stimulate the birth of brand-new brain cells in the hippocampus. That’s the area of the brain that’s critical for storing long-term memories,” she says. 

In addition, a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found a 47 percent improvement in memory scores among the group who did aerobic exercise for a year versus those who only did stretching exercises. Aerobics were shown to increase blood flow to the hippocampus, which may help protect against memory loss for those at risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Mood

Just a single session of exercise can improve your mood, Suzuki says. 

Each time when you exercise, your brain will release chemicals like serotonin (which regulates mood, sleep, and hunger) and your natural mood lifters, endorphins. 

A 2019 study published in Preventive Medicine found that people who did strength training or aerobic activities like walking, running, and cycling reported fewer depressive symptoms. Research also shows that exercise can improve the quality and length of sleep, which is important for mental health and mood. Cumulative exercise can even permanently change the structure and function of our brains for the better, Suzuki says. 

We can do an easy form of self-experimentation to decide which type of movement puts us in the best mood. For some, it will be dancing to a favorite song in the living room; for others, it might be a five-mile run in nature.