Fun and Fitness: Building brains in the gym
Just like that, another semester is gonzo. This is by far the fastest semester I've experienced to date considering I'm also in school myself. For those of you in your second or third year, I'm sure the feeling is mutual.
For those of you in your first year, get used to the feeling. Oh and get used to the feeling of exams creeping up way too fast for the remainder of your college life. Final exams are underway and everyone's stressed to the nines. Unfortunately, people often forget one of the best medicines for stress and anxiety. Exercise!
Frequent effective exercise is one of the best physical stress-reduction techniques available. Exercise not only improves your health and reduces stress caused by unfitness; it also relaxes tense muscles and helps you to sleep. Exercise has a number of other positive benefits you may not be aware of.
It improves blood flow to your brain, bringing additional sugars and oxygen that may be needed when you are thinking intensely.
When you think hard, the neurons of your brain function more intensely. As they do this, they can build up toxic waste products that can cause foggy thinking (you may have experienced the feeling that your brain has “turned to zombie mode”). By exercising, you speed the flow of blood through your brain, moving these waste products faster.
Exercise helps induce the release of chemicals called endorphins into your blood stream. These give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being.
There is also good evidence that physically fit people have less extreme physiological responses when under pressure than those who are not. This means that fit people are more able to handle the long-term effects of stress, without suffering ill health or burnout.
A nice little bonus that most people don't realize is that the more you focus in class, the more calories you burn! It won't be enough to turn you into “sexy-time” but it's nice to have the extra incentive as a reward for intense studies.
Above all, it's important to remember that exercise should be fun. It is difficult to keep going with an exercise program that you don't enjoy. Make your blood flow in a way you love and feel your stress levels decrease alongside so many other benefits.
Why sweat exams when you can sweat yourself to an incredible healthy feeling. Now go smoke ‘em ‘cause you own ‘em!
For those of you in your first year, get used to the feeling. Oh and get used to the feeling of exams creeping up way too fast for the remainder of your college life. Final exams are underway and everyone's stressed to the nines. Unfortunately, people often forget one of the best medicines for stress and anxiety. Exercise!
Frequent effective exercise is one of the best physical stress-reduction techniques available. Exercise not only improves your health and reduces stress caused by unfitness; it also relaxes tense muscles and helps you to sleep. Exercise has a number of other positive benefits you may not be aware of.
It improves blood flow to your brain, bringing additional sugars and oxygen that may be needed when you are thinking intensely.
When you think hard, the neurons of your brain function more intensely. As they do this, they can build up toxic waste products that can cause foggy thinking (you may have experienced the feeling that your brain has “turned to zombie mode”). By exercising, you speed the flow of blood through your brain, moving these waste products faster.
Exercise helps induce the release of chemicals called endorphins into your blood stream. These give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being.
There is also good evidence that physically fit people have less extreme physiological responses when under pressure than those who are not. This means that fit people are more able to handle the long-term effects of stress, without suffering ill health or burnout.
A nice little bonus that most people don't realize is that the more you focus in class, the more calories you burn! It won't be enough to turn you into “sexy-time” but it's nice to have the extra incentive as a reward for intense studies.
Above all, it's important to remember that exercise should be fun. It is difficult to keep going with an exercise program that you don't enjoy. Make your blood flow in a way you love and feel your stress levels decrease alongside so many other benefits.
Why sweat exams when you can sweat yourself to an incredible healthy feeling. Now go smoke ‘em ‘cause you own ‘em!
