Running is the best exercise for the brain. Want to be smarter, fitter & happier… start running.
There is a lot of confusion about what type of fitness is the best use of your energy, from intervals to high intensity but research is now showing endurance running is the way to go. As I think back on my fitness and health journey, one of the most important things I did was to take up running. Now when I say running, I mean a run/walk that is somewhere in between that can work for most fitness levels.
A lot of research is coming out about the value of running, sustained aerobic activity versus high intensity interval training, for the health of the brain. Granted the study was done on rats, but just saying… it is something to think about. Another way to look at it is distance running. The greater the distance the rat ran, the greater the benefit or neurogenesis experienced.
The problem is research also shows that starting in our 20’s we start to lose 1% annually of the volume of the part of the brain, the hippocampus, associated with learning and memory. It should be no surprise then that the first part of the brain to go with Alzheimers is the hippocampus.
Running at 5 mph (miles per hour) is considered a moderate pace. Stated in minutes per mile, a 5-mph run is equivalent to a 12-minute mile – which for many people is a brisk walking pace.. You can also increase the intensity of a 12-minute mile by running uphill or on an uneven terrain, such as the beach. Eventually you might want to take it up to a 10 minute mile for part of the time. All of this of course depends on your level of fitness and capacity to go from walking to running. Here is a good link to get started if this is something you think is for you.
Also don’t forget… the motivation you have to start a new habit is critical.
What could be more important than taking care of your brain? So think about getting started….
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