Education
To help us understand why exercise may make us smarter, I have invited my friend and colleague Amy Wager to talk to us today. She is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Bowling Green State University and one of our Pre-Health Advisors. She teaches courses in Anatomy and Physiology and coordinates our anatomy labs._______________________Table of Contents:00:00 - Introduction - Locus of Control, Growth Mindset, and Control of Learning Beliefs03:10 - Interview with Amy Wagner_______________________Interact with Dr. Partin and the Teaching and Learning Professor community at:https://www.facebook.com/theteachingandlearningprofessor/_______________________Today’s main topic centers around the question “Can exercise make you smarter?” I think most of you know that physical exercise can make you healthier. You can build muscle, improve organ function, including your heart, circulatory system, and your cardiovascular system. Physical exercise may help you avoid lots of aches, pains, and disease later in life. But can physical exercise actually make you smarter? Mental exercise, such as learning, can make you smarter. In what-ever way you use your brain, you will build new neural connections that will strengthen each time you use those new pathways. Learning WILL make you smarter. But can physical exercise make you smarter? Researchers believe it can. To begin with, exercise stimulates the body's nervous system, causing it to release chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins that make us feel happy and calm. Endorphins have also been shown to improve memory. After exercise, memory improves and your ability to prioritize what is most import and what is less important improves, allowing you to block out distractions and better concentrate on an assignment. The release of these chemicals helps to explain why many people feel more focused and aware after they exercise. If you feel better, you can think more clearly and concentrate better. Your body will simply function at a higher level after exercising. With regular exercise and an improved cardiovascular system, you can bring blood and oxygen more efficiently to your brain. You may also improve the amount of time you can stay focused on studying and recover faster. In fact, it is believed that the growth of new brain cells and new neural connections can be stimulated by exercise. As your brain grows new cells and connections, the areas associated with memory and learning grow and overall brain function improves. So how much exercise do you need to keep your brain functioning at its best?A minimum is probably 15-20 minutes, three times per week. However, 30-60 minutes 4-5 days per week is probably better. Running may be better than lifting weights, but any exercise is better than none._______________________Support this podcast at RedCircle— DONATE TODAY!!I'm using your donation to buy a new microphone and studio equipment to improve my sound. I need coffee too :-)_______________________REFERENCESBergland, C. (2013, October 11). Scientists Discover Why Exercise Makes You Smarter. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/scientists-discover-why-exercise-makes-you-smarter.Cohen, J. (2012, August 13). 6 Ways Exercise Makes You Smarter. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2012/05/08/6-ways-exercise-makes-you-smarter/#2f7e0562305d.Jubbal, K. (2018, March 26). How Exercise Makes you Smarter (and a Better Student!). Retrieved from https://medschoolinsiders.com/lifestyle/how-exercise-makes-you-smarter-and-a-better-student/.Raypole, R. (2019, September 30). How to Hack Your Hormones for a Better Mood. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.healthline.com/health/happy-hormone.Seana. (2019, January 1). Happiness hormones: how training makes you happy. Retrieved from https://www.freeletics.com/en/blog/posts/happiness-hormones-training-makes-happy/. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-teaching-and-learning-professor/donations