Exercise, priming your brain for learning

The nine types of intelligence

I found a great YouTube channel today called “What I’ve learned“, the guy only has 14 videos, and I have watched some of them up to four times. I haven’t been this excited since hearing about Casey Neistat while talking to an Architect in Bulgaria over the summer, but that’s another story…

The video I have been watching the most today is about the benefits of exercise on the brain. It would appear…

The only reason we have a brain is to produce adaptable and complex movements.

The type of intelligence is called “Bodily-kinesthetic (body smart)”, in one of Ken Robbinsons talks, he said that since you only have one body, why is this type of intelligence not appreciated more? Why are engineers valued more than dancers?

Ken Robbinson

The single best thing you can do for yourself is exercise, for many reasons. I think of it as a good financial investment and I do it every day. Its as good as money in the bank, to me.

You might not lose any weight, but you will increase bone density, which is one of the main benefits of exercise.

If there was a drug that could give you the benefits of exercise, it would be the most important drug invented

Introducing Daniel Wolpert

Exercising for 20 minutes increases Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF, a protein that, in humans. BDNF is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors, which are related to the canonical Nerve Growth Factor.

BDNF is like miracle grow for your brain, which enables you to learn efficently.

Some ways To Increase BDNF Level:

1. Intense Exercise
2. Intermittent Fasting or Caloric Restriction
3. Dietary modifications, limiting sugars
4. Sunlight (Vitamin D)
5. Omega-3 fatty acids and Green tea

 

Movement is a signal to your brain that something important is going to happen.

By exercising, you trigger the flight or fight in your body, then…

• Cortisol is produced
• Digestion is switched off
• Heart rate shoots up

After exercising, Cortisol comes down, and stays down for the rest of the day.

Cortisol has many functions. It helps the body use sugar (glucose) and fat for energy (metabolism), and it helps the body manage stress. Cortisol levels can be affected by many conditions, such as physical or emotional stress, strenuous activity, infection, or injury.

Normally, cortisol levels rise during the early morning hours and are highest about 7 a.m. They drop very low in the evening and during the early phase of sleep.

Your brain power goes down once you stop complex movements, the video explains if you want to be mentally sharp, you can use your body to trigger your brain for the learning process.

Enjoy!