The physical health benefits of walking have been well documented and supported by a mountain of scientific evidence over the last two decades and more.
A growing body of evidence in the fields of neuroscience and psychiatry are now finding evidence that walking also helps stimulate blood flow to the brain. And that has numerous benefits for memory, learning and other cognitive abilities.
Research shows that when walking helps to stimulate the heart and lungs. This increase causes us to breathe more deeply and improves blood pressure.
In addition, increase levels of blood reach the brain carrying more oxygen…and the brain uses around 20-25% of the energy produced by the body. More blood in the brain equates to higher levels of performance.
The cutting-edge psychiatrist, Daniel Amen advocates blood flow as a key driver for heightened cognitive function.
“Healthy blood flow is crucial to your brain—and to your whole body. It transports nutrients, including oxygen, to every cell in your body and flushes away toxins. Even though your brain, which weighs about 3 pounds, makes up only 2% of your body’s weight, it uses 20% of the oxygen and blood flow in your body.” ~ Amen Clinic
It used to be thought that the brain ages as we age. Today, it has been shown that neurone age faster because they are not getting a sufficient supply of blood.
A lack of blood flow can impact the sharpness of your mind, cognitive functions and cause erectile dysfunction.
Hungry Hippo
A team of researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases concluded that blood flow to the hippocampus could play a key role in age, memory performance and other cognitive abilities such as navigation.
“Our study shows a clear link between blood supply to the hippocampus and cognitive performance. This suggests that brain blood flow might play a key role in the declining of memory performance, whether caused by age or disease.” ~ Prof. Stefanie Schreiber
The Hippocampus – a greek word for sea horse due to the minuscule brain part looking like a sea horse – is critical for learning and memory. Moreover, it becomes highly stimulated during exercise.
It has also been shown that the hippocampus has a high number of stem cells and creates hundreds of new neurons every day. It is through learning that the brain stays healthy – “use or lose it” as neuroscientists say.
Researchers, therefore, conclude that exercise prevents the hippocampus from shrinking and can even reverse it in elderly people.
Another study also found that students that exercise outperforms peers that do not exercise. Walking to improve blood flow and learning has no boundaries.
Sweatcoin has developed an app to help encourage people like you to walk more. It’s good for the body and mind.
For every 1000 steps you take, you earn 1 SWC, a digital token that can be traded in for merchandise with over 300 partners. Download the sweatcoin app now and make sure you’re getting enough blood to your most important body parts.
