Summary Of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science Of Exercise And The Brain

There is ample evidence to demonstrate that through the normal ageing process alterations to the brain in structure and function are directly related to cognitive changes (Glisky, 2007). With an increasing ageing population strategies for prevention of disease and age related cognitive decline are necessary to improve quality of life and reduce the associated healthcare costs (Australian Government Productivity Commission [AGPC], 2013). Physical exercise is known to be crucial in maintaining physiological health; it can also be used as a means of neuroprotection and assist in modifiable risk factors for improved brain health and subsequent cognitive function. This review will critically analyse current research into the effects of exercise

The human brain is constantly changing where many new neurons are formed while others neurons die and new synapses are created while other synapses are removed (Spalding et al., 2013). Some dendrites will withdraw while other dendrites continue branching (Killgore et al., 2013). The processes driving the reshaping of the brain are neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s lifelong ability to rewire neural connections to compensate for diseases and injuries or in response to changes in the environment, whereas neurogenesis is the ability to create new neurons and neural connections. This dynamic process of remodeling gray matter is determined mainly by a person’s genetics and can slow down due to age (Denes, 2016). However, recent scientific evidence demonstrates other non-genetic factors that can significantly improve the development of the brain and slow down neurodegeneration (Kays et al., 2012). Physical exercise has always been linked to a person’s physical health, but many recent scientific studies shows physical exercise can also keep a person’s brain sharp. Exercise affects the brain in numerous ways by creating a flourishing environment for brain growth, aiding the release of numerous hormones, and fighting against depression, stress, and anxiety.

In recent years brain training games have become a topic of interest among both researchers and common people alike. Researchers are interested in the healing properties of brain training while normal people are looking to brain training as a way to improve their performance and get a leg up on the competition in school, work, and life. Up until recently, it was believed that the brain was unchangeable in terms of memory capacity. Researchers were well aware of the fact that the brain can change and form new connections when brain damage occurs. However, the idea that humans can train their brains to be more efficient and stronger seemed like a far-fetched cry from reality up until the late 1990’s (Weicker, Villringer & Thöne-Otto, 2016). As time went on and more research was conducted in the field of brain training, it became clear that brain training is not an exact science but, it does have real cognitive benefits.

A study conducted by Harvard Medical School regarding on how could exercise help your brain and what kind of exercise will help your brain to have a better result. In this article, we learn that exercises can help your brain and can also help your memory. The researchers examined different people to try to understand what exercises could help your brain using 30 minutes section. In this study, the researchers randomly evaluate people doing exercises like cardio and compared their memory and their productivity with those that didn’t any type of exercises.

Exercise in general has been known to reep many benefits in health of the body, for example the seven components of fitness as mentioned in ‘ABC of sports and exercise medicine, third edition by Sir Roger Bannister’. (Edited by Gregory P Whyte)

Since 1990s, many scientists agree that exercise has positive impacts on people’s physical health and mental health (SIME WE, 1987). From Morgan and O’Connor’s research, people can reduce stress and state anxiety by doing physical activities; also gain emotional pleasure from the process (Morgan and O’Connor, 1988). Later in 1997, Landers states that physical activities can reduce people depression after weeks of regular and routine exercise. In addition, people can benefit from more

In the book, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain by Dr. John J. Ratey, MD (2008), Ratey discuses how exercise can help treat many mood disorders and how it can help strengthen our brains. This book is divided into ten chapters all with five to ten subsections in them. The chapters include: Welcome to the revolution: A Case Study on Exercise and the brain, Learning, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Attention Deficit, Addiction, Hormonal Changers, Aging, and the Regimen.

Central Idea: Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun.

399). Investigations on the chronic effects of exercise have involved programs which last approximately 2-4 months consisting of two to four sessions per week. Most research on effects of acute exercise has focused on the reduction of state anxiety. Recent studies, (Focht & Hausenblas, 2001; Ekkekakis, Hall & Petruzzello, 1999) showed that aerobic exercise resulted in lowered state anxiety and higher tranquility scores. In addition to this, other research has revealed that moderate-intensity exercise produced the greatest positive effects in affective responses implying that the anxiety reduction following exercise occurs regardless of the intensity, duration or type of exercise (Berger, Pargman & Weinberg, 2002, pp. 399-401). Raglin and Morgan (1987) found that state anxiety was reduced for 24 hours after the exercise bout, whereas participants in a control rest condition returned to baseline levels within 30 minutes (Berger, Pargman & Weinberg, 2002, pp. 400). Although acute exercise is no more effective in decreasing state anxiety than quiet rest of distraction, the effects last longer. According to Breus and O’Connor (1998), the decrease in state anxiety after exercise lasted several hours, which was more than in the distraction and quiet rest groups. This implies that positive effects may be gained after a few weeks of training, but enduring effects may only be achieved through continuous exercise.

How does exercise effect a person’s mood and perspective of themselves? What motivates or pushes an individual to exercise? How does exercise improve a person’s outlook on their life and themselves individually? How can exercise be psychologically & physically beneficial for an individual’s health? I am interested in this topic because I am really interested in sports and the whole concept of how our body functions anatomically and physiologically as we

Although the book was intended to be read from a neurological standpoint, I found the book to be more so motivational. My perception of the book allows me to better understand my habits and the habits of others. Through having a better understanding about habits, I realize I am able to encourage or inspire myself and others whether personal or professional to change habits when needed. For example, the book mentions how willpower is a habit for individual success and that it is a muscle not a skill. To know this information allows me and others to work towards strengthening our self-willpower so that our level of success (whatever each individual considers to be successful) will strengthen as

General recommendations are now widely accepted as to the general advantages of exercise in terms of physical health, such as its ability to prevent weight gain, coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis.14 It appears that health promotion schemes have shied away from extolling exercise’s psychological benefits. After all, there is no government campaign, no public policy initiative, which pontificates exercise on account of a concern for mental wellbeing. Although many people would identify that exercise has a positive influence on mood state, it appears that, generally speaking, this is regarded as a positive correlation, rather than a causal relationship. The ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ concept is thus, for many, a heuristic utopia, rather than a scientifically proven

While the research of Blumenthal et al. (2007) focused on exercise being effective in reducing self-reported depressive symptoms, Diaz and Motta (2008) and Motta, Kuligowski, and Marino (2010) looked at the positive effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and PTSD. The theory of exercise’s positive effect on mental health has heavily been focused on

I learned many things while researching my project I’ve learned how specific types of exercising can help prevent disease, help with depression and, it can make your brain function better helping with memory and growth. I’ve also learned how many hours a day an average everyday person should exercise to stay in good shape and keep a healthy state of mind.

Adding exercises into one’s daily routines can change their whole lifestyle. Many people look at exercise as being something just for people who want to lose weight or to become muscle bound, but there are a great deal of benefits that can be received from exercising regularly. Of course gaining muscle and losing fat are the two most popular reasons that usually attract people to the gym, but they make up a small part of the potential benefits that can be achieved with exercise. There are several ways in which I have benefited in my life from exercising regularly, besides just making me bigger and stronger. It has made me become more organized, helped me make better decisions, and motivated me to take on new challenges in life.