What are the benefits of movement?
For years, scientists have been researching the impact of physical activity on health. The evidence is clear – regular exercise makes your muscles stronger, keeps your heart healthy, boosts fitness, helps you maintain a healthy weight, relieves stress, and reduces the risk of many diseases, including cancer.
Physical activity is therefore one of the most important factors influencing the condition of our body. Today we also know that physical activity has a positive effect on how the brain works. As Dr Joanna Wojsiat points out in her book “ Tak działa mózg” (This Is How the Brain Works), training the body kick-starts training for the brain.
What is physical activity?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines physical activity as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.” It also explains in detail how much time we should spend being active – highlighting that every bit of movement is better than none.
According to the WHO guidelines published in 2020:
- Adults should aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. On top of that, it is recommended to do muscle-strengthening workouts (at moderate or high intensity) at least twice a week.
- Kids and teens should get about 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity every day of the week. Bone- and muscle-strengthening exercises at high-intensity should be done at least 3 times a week.
- Older adults should exercise three times a week.
Why is staying active key for everyone, regardless of age or fitness? Because inactivity slowly kills our brain. We are built to move, explore, and keep going – so it is vital to meet this fundamental need. If you skip it, the risks of sitting too much will hit you faster than you expect.
To show “why does the brain enjoys exercise?”, we have 6 facts that will inspire even the most resistant to get moving:
Fact 1: Better memory
What grows the most during movement is not our muscles, but our hippocampus. According to the PWN Online Dictionary, the hippocampus is “a brain structure responsible for memorising, long-term memory, abstract thinking, and emotions.” Studies show that exercise also grows the prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain that helps us predict, reason, and make decisions. Scientists have also found that aerobic exercise stimulates neurogenesis – the creation of new nerve cells in the hippocampus, which boosts memory and makes the brain more resistant to ageing (Erickson et al., PNAS, 2011). As a result, movement not only strengthens the body but also significantly enhances our cognitive and emotional abilities.
Fact 2: Improved mood and better learning support
J. B. Karski highlighted in “Promocja Zdrowia” (Health Promotion) that “increased physical activity in modern humans not only supports bodily functions and development but also has a positive effect on mental health and well-being.”
Plenty of research proves that even one workout is enough to lift your mood and improve how you feel. This effect comes with less tension and more energy, thanks to the release of endorphins and serotonin. Endorphins, often known as the “happiness hormones,” work like natural opioids – easing pain, boosting mood, and bringing on the famous runner’s high. The rise in serotonin during activity also leads to a better mood, less tension, and greater motivation.
These neurotransmitters do more than lift your spirits – they also improve focus and drive, making regular physical activity a key to both better mood and more effective learning.
Fact 3: More effective brain performance
Movement is valuable fuel for our brain. During exercise, the heart pumps more blood, increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. What are the benefits of this? First of all, an oxygenated brain works better – and that benefits the whole body. Studies show that being active regularly helps build new neural connections and keeps memory strong for many years.
Fact 4: Better focus and cognitive function
When fear and tension set in – common parts of stress – the ability to learn decreases. This applies to school, work, and even relationships. Joachim Bauer, in his book „Empatia. Co potrafią lustrzane neurony” (Empathy. What Mirror Neurons Can Do), explains that stress sharply lowers the activity of mirror neurons – the ones that help us understand others, feel empathy, and catch subtle social cues.
Making physical activity part of your daily routine lowers tension and balances neurotransmitters, boosting focus, learning, and overall cognitive function. As a result, we remember more easily and think faster.
Fact 5: Stress reduction
Physical exercise is a great way to fight stress. Firstly, it lowers the risk of many metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, which minimises stress that their onset tends to bring. Secondly, exercising improves overall wellbeing thanks to, among other things, the release of endorphins. They also build a sense of self-efficacy. Movement reduces tension and eases symptoms of a disrupted nervous system. According to research described in the book “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, The Psychophysiology of Stress” movement reduces our stress response to various psychological stressors.
Fact 6: A positive effect on neuroplasticity
Physical activity – especially varied training – is a great way to support neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to create new neural connections and adapt to a changing environment. According to the Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, neuroplasticity underlies learning, memory, and the brain’s response to new stimuli. Professor Małgorzata Kossut notes that although a child’s brain learns the quickest, an adult brain can also be stimulated by physical activity, intellectual effort, new experiences, and lifestyle. Exercises that combine different forms of movement stimulate the brain, improving focus, creativity, and overall cognitive function.
The brain enjoys exercise!
The facts are clear – the brain loves movement. Regular exercise does more than keep the body healthy – it strengthens cognitive functions too, sharpening memory, focus, and learning, while raising motivation through increased endorphin and serotonin levels. Movement oxygenates the brain and supports its neuroplasticity, making it easier to absorb new information. As a result, movement is the key to better well-being and more effective learning!
References:
- Podgórska J., “Tak działa mózg. Jak mądrze dbać o jego funkcjonowanie”, Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal, Warszawa 2023.
- WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, World Health Organization, s. VII, 2020.
- Przewęda R., Promocja zdrowia przez wychowanie fizyczne, Karski J.B., Promocja zdrowia, s. 195,1999.
- PWN Online Dictionary.
- National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3041121/
- Bauer J., Empatia. Co potrafią lustrzane neurony, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2016.
- https://www.eatingwell.com/why-exercise-is-good-for-your-brain-8778043?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Kossut M., Neuroplastyczność, Publisher: Wydawnictwo Medyk Sp. z o.o., 2018.