The influence of physical exercise on our brain and how it impacts our physical, cognitive and mental abilities
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Inês Aleixo, a Sports Lecturer at Lusófona University, is interested in the relationship between regular physical exercise, physical fitness, cognitive performance, and mental health.
According to the lecturer, when exercised, our muscles release molecules into our bloodstream that can alter the composition of our brain, creating new neurons and improving our neural network. As a result, this leads to improvements in our cognitive, mental, and physical abilities — enhancing learning, reducing anxiety, and helping to prevent conditions such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, among others.
These benefits apply across all ages, which is why regular physical activity is recommended for everyone. The key lies in finding a healthy balance between rest time, physical activity, and sedentary periods. For adults, especially those who spend long hours sitting while studying or working, it is advisable to break up long periods of inactivity by exercising the muscles after every hour of work. Even a short walk may be enough to improve the structure of our brain and, consequently, our physical, cognitive, and mental abilities.
Production
Catarina Machado and Sofia Pereira
Image
Catarina Machado
Editing
Paulo Renato
