Exercise Ease

Cue the stress relievers! Every time we exercise we stimulate the creation of new brain cells (neurons), calm ones. For years it has been a given that exercise enhances mood. But how a physiological activity affected our psychological state was unclear. Now it seems that science is beginning to uncover the biochemistry and genetics of our thoughts and how exercise remodels our brains.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070628162055.htm

Researchers at Princeton University recently conducted a study on our buddies; the rat, where one group of rats was allowed to run and the others were not allowed any physical activity at all. Then all the rats were placed in a stressful situation, swimming in cold water (which they hate, I’m not so fond of swimming in icy water either). The brand new brain cells, those that were born from running, were legitimately biochemically, molecularly calm and those rats with the fresh baby neurons were chill. The old neurons in the unexercised rats were amped out of their minds and those rats were stressed.

There have also been studies on the relationship between exercise and the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and antioxidant powers of moderate exercise. Anxiety in rodents and people has been linked with excessive oxidative stress, a condition characterized by the release of free radicals, which can lead to cell death in the brain. Moderate exercise seems to dampen the effects of oxidative stress that in turn saves our cells.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Exercise-and-Decrease-Your-Stress-Levels,-Study-Reveals&id=3373145

In another study led by researchers at the University of Houston rats whose oxidative stress levels had been artificially heightened with injections of certain chemicals were extremely anxious when faced with unfamiliar terrain during lab testing and hid in the corners of the maze. Rats that had exercised, even with the injection of oxidizing chemicals were nonchalant under the same terrain stress, they just kept on exploring. It appears that the “stress” of exercise prepares cells, structures and pathways within the brain so that they’re more equipped to handle stress in other forms. The purely physical stresses we endure through exercise ultimately positively affect psychological stresses like afternoon drive time traffic or tiffs with our bosses.

How long before this magical exercise induced calm kicks in? No one is exactly sure, but somewhere between three and six weeks according to the rat research. Three weeks was not quite long enough but by the time the rats had been at it for six weeks the new baby chill neurons were firing away happily. What we know for certain is that exercising, aerobic activity specifically, without a doubt, creates calm brain cells. Once you start a workout program you must keep it up. You may not feel the reduction of stress after your first power walk but the molecular biochemical changes will begin and eventually the results will become profound.