Exercise can enhance brain function and protect memory and thinking skills. Exercise pumps up your heart rate which, in turn, enhances the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It also increases the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of brain cells. Exercise can combat the effects of aging, oxidative stress and inflammation. Exercise causes an increase in the size of the hippocampus, that part of the brain that’s critical for memory and learning. Exercise has even been shown to reduce alterations in the brain caused by Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.
