Easy Exercises You Can Do to Promote Brain Development

The human brain is a powerful, complex organ. But in all of its complexity, the brain may be beyond our reach to understand all of its functions.

One thing we do know, for certain, is that regular exercise impacts our brain in numerous, positive ways. For children, that means stimulating growth and setting up long-term functions for learning and memory. For adults, it means fighting off disease and extending our lives.

Here are 30 ways exercise affects our brains and easy exercises you can do to promote brain development and get stronger.

Exercise, in its most basic form, increases the release of hormones throughout your body. Those hormones are what we need to stimulate the growth of new brain cells.

Don’t believe the old cliche saying of “your brain is a muscle” (because it’s really not). But do believe that anything you do with your muscles, exercise-wise, is going to impact the growth of new brain cells.

Maybe “your brain needs your muscles” would be better? 

Exercise ideas: Jumping jacks, burpees, squats

Do jumping jacks. Start with 25 or however many you can do. Here’s how to do a jumping jack:

Watch how to do a jumping jack 

Battling depression is a real thing for people.

For some, it may be something they not have experienced before. For others who have, and are even more vulnerable, battling depression already is a familiar fight.

Exercise can help us stay positive and reinforce positive thoughts in our minds during even the most trying times. 

Exercise ideas: Running, walking, hiking, yoga

Go for a run or a walk. Start with whatever time or distance you feel comfortable with and work up from here. Here’s how to get started: 

Watch how to get started running or walking