Health & Wellness
Best Doctors: Your Brain Needs Some Gym Time Too
Test out these three physical exercises to help increase your brain health.
by Abby Burton | Jul. 31, 2019 | 12:00 PM
Your brain needs to be worked, but we don’t just mean word puzzles and memory games. Physical exercise also helps stimulate your brain by focusing on balance and coordination. Dr. Brijesh D. Patadia of the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center says even a 30-minute walk once a week can increase brain function. “Any aerobic exercise that is enough to burn calories is going to up your brain health,” he says. “Plus physical exercise increases serotonin and dopamine that contribute to a better mood — that’s how people get addicted to exercise.” No matter what your workout level, Patadia helps us discover a unique exercise class for you.
If you’re a fitness newbie: For workout neophytes, Patadia recommends learning the Tibetan rites in a group such as River’s Edge, which offers yoga classes, meditation classes and more. The Tibetan rites are a circuit of five yoga-like poses that are repeated 21 times each. “You are using repetition of the poses as well as your balance and coordination,” he says. “The process of doing something over and over can actually stimulate your neural connections and help with memory.”
If you’re an occasional gym rat: If you’re feeling bored with the treadmill, try a dance class. Something like the Teen/Adult Modern class at Cleveland City Dance in Shaker Square is made for people with little to no experience. The benefits of a class like this are mostly social. “Social aspects are vital to brain health. So now you are using the balance and coordination parts of your brain mixed with the social intake,” he says. “Plus, music is shown to have a unique stimulation to the brain that adds another layer to the workout.”
If you’re a workout warrior: You’re always searching for the next challenge. Try a class where you can move up in ranks and depend on your teammates such as jiujitsu at Hurricane Jiu Jitsu near West Park. The Brazilian martial art and combat sport system focuses on grappling and ground fighting. “This is an extreme aerobic sport that is going to test you,” says Patadia. “And the brain benefits from the mentality of always thinking one, or even two, steps ahead.”
How Aerobic exercise boosts brain health.
Do you really need 10,000 steps a day? We explore the marketing-driven rule.
Click here to read the more articles from Best Doctors: Special Brain Health Report cover package.
If you’re a fitness newbie: For workout neophytes, Patadia recommends learning the Tibetan rites in a group such as River’s Edge, which offers yoga classes, meditation classes and more. The Tibetan rites are a circuit of five yoga-like poses that are repeated 21 times each. “You are using repetition of the poses as well as your balance and coordination,” he says. “The process of doing something over and over can actually stimulate your neural connections and help with memory.”
If you’re an occasional gym rat: If you’re feeling bored with the treadmill, try a dance class. Something like the Teen/Adult Modern class at Cleveland City Dance in Shaker Square is made for people with little to no experience. The benefits of a class like this are mostly social. “Social aspects are vital to brain health. So now you are using the balance and coordination parts of your brain mixed with the social intake,” he says. “Plus, music is shown to have a unique stimulation to the brain that adds another layer to the workout.”
If you’re a workout warrior: You’re always searching for the next challenge. Try a class where you can move up in ranks and depend on your teammates such as jiujitsu at Hurricane Jiu Jitsu near West Park. The Brazilian martial art and combat sport system focuses on grappling and ground fighting. “This is an extreme aerobic sport that is going to test you,” says Patadia. “And the brain benefits from the mentality of always thinking one, or even two, steps ahead.”
How Aerobic exercise boosts brain health.
Do you really need 10,000 steps a day? We explore the marketing-driven rule.
Click here to read the more articles from Best Doctors: Special Brain Health Report cover package.
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