There are plenty of reasons to workout, that have nothing to do with getting bigger, or even stronger. These range from boosting your mood, to keeping your heart healthy - and scientists are now saying that hitting the gym regularly can help to keep your mind sharp. Whether you want to complete a crossword – first time for everything – or nail a presentation at work, your goals can be all the more achievable if you’ve exercised beforehand. A study by the University of Maryland showed that just one workout increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory, including the hippocampus, which deteriorates with age. In the study, participants performed a memory test after 30 minutes of moderate cardio, and on a separate day after a rest period; brain activity was greater after exercise than after rest, and the test suggests that the effects of working out on grey matter are almost instant.
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