Just like you might do bicep curls to focus on building your arm muscles, it appears that there are certain exercise routines that are better for brain health than others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, researchers reviewed 12 different experiments involving 128 people designed to monitor changes in the brain during period of exercise. In the study, all of the exercise routines involved either a stationary bike or treadmill, but the intensity and time varied.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some used 20 minutes of\u00a0high-intensity interval training (HIIT), others used 25 minutes of \u201cmoderate intensity\u201d continuous exercise, and others tried a low intensity, continuous 20-minute session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe found that high-intensity interval training, or moderate intensity continuous training, resulted in the greatest benefits for the brain,\u201d said study co-author\u00a0Ashleigh Smith, a senior research fellow at the\u00a0School of Health Sciences\u00a0at the University of South Australia. The continued implementation of HIIT exercises resulted in increased responsiveness of neuro activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientists have even studied the effects of\u00a0HIIT on aging\u00a0at a cellular level in research published in the European Heart Journal. The study compared the effects of different forms of exercise, including weight lifting, aerobic exercise, and HIIT on parts of human chromosomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of a 26-week study period, individuals who did aerobic or strength training saw no change in telomere length. The HIIT group saw a \u201ctwo-fold\u201d increase in length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s truly [a lot] of positives to [HIIT]. I think it\u2019s fantastic for people who are already somewhat trained, somewhat athletic,\u201d said Dr. Jeffrey Schildhorn, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to this study, you should add endurance and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to your routine. These exercises keep your heart rate up and can keep your cells younger for longer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Links to further reading: <\/p>\n\n\n\n