Can Exercise Make You Smarter?

So much for the idea of dumb jocks…

New research points out that exercise has some great benefits for not just how our body works, but how our brains work, too. It’s clearly important for kids, who need all the brain power they can get for school, but it’s equally important for adults: A fit worker is a fast, efficient worker.

Check out the 6 ways that working out can make you smarter:

1. Increases Energy

The more you move, the more energized you will feel. Regular physical activity improves your muscle strength and boosts your endurance, giving you the energy you need to think clearer and come up with new ideas. A good 15 minutes of moving around, even just a quick walk around the office, makes your body produce more energy on a cellular level.

2. Sharpens Focus

Research states that exercise improves your brain in the short term by raising your focus for two to three hours afterwards.  If you have a presentation or speaking engagement try to work out beforehand; you’ll be at your peak when you have to perform. In the long term, it can even help starve off brain aging and Alzheimer’s.

3. Enhances Mood

Exercise releases endorphins, also known as nature’s mood elevator, which has been shown to improve memory. Exercise also releases serotonin, which improves mood and alleviates symptoms of depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. Duke University researchers proved that depressed adults who exercised regularly improved as much as those treated with the antidepressant Zoloft!

4. Helps Impulse Control

Exercise helps trigger endorphins, which improve the prioritizing functions of the brain. After exercise, your ability to sort out priorities improves, allowing you to block out distractions and better concentrate on the task at hand.

5. Improves Memory

Your brain remembers more when your body is active. In an experiment published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, students were asked to memorize a string of letters, and were then allowed to run, lift weights, or sit quietly. The students who ran were quicker and more accurate when they were tested than students who chose the other two options.

6. Increases Productivity

Ever heard of the statement “if you want something done, give it to a busy person?”  It’s a proven fact that productivity begets more productivity. When we’re productive and efficient it propels us to succeed more. After exercising in the middle of the work day, workers are more likely to be kinder to their co-workers, increase their work performance and improve their time management.