Hands up if you have had a go on a so-called ‘brain-training’ game? You know, the ones that fire mental arithmetic questions at you or challenge you to read the word ‘blue’ when it is written in green.
The ‘use it or lose it’ philosophy has been applied to brain power for some time now; even before hand-held games consoles, we have been exercising our brains with Scrabble®, Countdown and the crossword in the local paper for years!
At the same time, many of us are also busy exercising our bodies through such physical pursuits as running, swimming, doing yoga or hitting the gym.
We know from a multitude of studies and real-world experience that physical activity is paramount when it comes to achieving and maintaining peak physical condition and reducing our risk of developing both acute and long-term illnesses.
But did you know that physical exercise can be as good for your brain as it is for the rest of your body?
In recent years, researchers have established a link between physical exercise and improvement in brain functions such as learning, memory and other cognitive functions, as well as the possibility of delaying the onset of age-related decline in brain functions.
So don’t just rely on exercises you can do from your sofa to keep your brain ship-shape – a few laps of the park will nourish your body and brain, and will help you look and feel great at the same time!
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