Harvard Medical School psychiatrist John Ratey says, “Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning…even 10 minutes of activity changes your brain.”
Stressed Out? According to a 2010 study from the University of California—San Francisco. The researchers found that stressed-out women who exercised vigorously for an average of 45 minutes over a three-day period had cells that showed fewer signs of aging compared to women who were stressed and sedentary.
Feeling Depressed? Research suggests that burning off 350 calories three times a week through sustained, sweat-inducing activity can reduce symptoms of depression about as effectively as antidepressants. And, animal studies have found that getting active boosts the production of brain molecules that improve connections between nerve cells, which acts as a natural antidepressant!
Distracted? Complicated activities also improve our capacity to learn by enhancing our attention and concentration skills, according to German researchers who found that high school students scored better on high-attention tasks after doing 10 minutes of a complicated fitness routine compared to 10 minutes of regular activity. (Those who hadn’t exercised at all scored the worst!)