The single most proven thing you can do right now to get smarter and happier

The single most proven thing you can do right now to get smarter and happierThe single most proven thing you can do right now to get smarter and happierMany of the fixes for our problems arent complex - something thats clear inthe things I recommend people do every day.Whats a scientifically validated way to get smarter, happier, healthier and calmer?Stop reading this right now and go for a walk.Its that simple.Heres why.Exercise powers the body - and the mindThey used to say you dont grow new brain cells. They were wrong.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainAs an illustration of just how new this territory is, Ill go back to the story of neurogenesis, the once-heretical theory that the brain grows new nerve cells throughout life. Ten years ago people werent even convinced that it happened, says neurologist Scott Small. It was at his Columbia University lab, in 2007, where they witnessed telltale signs of neurogenesis for the first time in live humans. Fi ve years ago people said, OK, it might happen, but is it really meaningful? Now there isnt a week that goes by where theres elend abedrngnisher study that shows neurogenesis has some kind of effect on the brain.What really feeds those baby brain cells? Hitting the gym.A 3 month exercise regimen increased bloodflow to thepart of your brain focused on memory and learning by 30%.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn his study, Small put a group of volunteers on a three-month exercise regimen and then took pictures of their brains. By manipulating a standard MRI machines processing- essentially zoomingin and cocking the shutter open- he captured images of the newly fassoned capillaries required for nascent neurons to survive. What he saw was that the capillary volume in the memory area of the hippocampus increased by 30 percent, a truly remarkable change.The dumb jock is a mythBeing in good shape increases your ability to learn. After exercise people pick up new vocabulary words 20% faster.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne of the prominent features of exercise, which is sometimes leid appreciated in studies, is an improvement inthe tarif of learning, and I think thats a really cool take-home message, Cotman says. Because it suggests that if youre in good shape, you may be able to learn and function mora efficiently.Indeed, in a 2007 study of humans, German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise, and that the satz of learning correlated directly with levels of BDNF.Want to be more creative?Sweating for about a half hour on the treadmill notably increases cognitive flexibility.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA notable experiment in 2007 showed that cognitive flexibility improves after just one thirty-five-minute treadmill session at either 60 percent or 70 percent of maximum heart rateCognit ive flexibility is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and answers as opposed to a regurgitation of the usual responses.Fine, you can see differences on an MRI and with nerdy tests. Does it make a difference in the real world?Yes.Office workers who exercised at lunch were more productive, less stressed and had more energy.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn 2004 researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England found that workers who used their companys gym were more productive and felt better able to handle their workloads. fruchtwein of the 210 participants in the study took an aerobics class at lunchtime, for forty-five minutes to an hour, but others lifted weights or practiced joga for thirty minutes to an hour. They filled out questionnaires at the end of every workday about how well they interacted with colleagues, managed their time, and met deadlines . Some 65 percent fared better in all three categories on days they exercised. Overall, they felt better about their work and less stressed when they exercised. And they felt less fatigued in the afternoon, despite expending energy at lunchtime.That super-productive co-worker who runs every day might not exercise because they have energy - they might have energy because they exercise.While it might not make you thesmartest person in the world,among the manyways to increase intelligence, exercise stands out.Sweating increases smilingCant make it simpler than thisResearch from Duke University shows exercise is as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn alandmark study affectionately called SMILE (Standard Medical Intervention and Long-term Exercise), James Blumenthal and his colleagues pitted exercise against the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft) in a sixteen-week trial Blumenthal concluded that exercise was as eff ective as medication.It also reduces anxiety.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne interesting study in 2005 measured the physical and mental effects of exercise in a group of Chilean high school students for nine months The experimental groups anxiety scores dropped 14 percent versus a statistically insignificant 3 percent for the control group (an improvement that could be explained by the placebo effect).What if youre not depressed or anxious? Stay sedentary and youre 1.5x more likely to eventuallybecome depressed.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainResearchers tracked 8,023 people for twenty-six years, surveying them about a number of factors related to lifestyle habits and healthiness starting in 1965. They checked back in with the participants in 1974 and in 1983. Of all the people with no signs of depression at the beginning, those who became inactive over the next nine years were 1.5 times more likely to have depressi on by 1983 than their active counterparts.Still not convinced?People who exercise are, across the board, mentally healthier less depression, anger, stress, and distrust.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and cynical distrust than those who exercise less or not at all.Okay, Okay - How much do I need to do?Whatsoptimal? Exercise six days a week, 45 minutes to an hour per day.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainThe best, however, based on everything Ive read and seen, would be to do some form of aerobic activity six days a week, for forty-five minutes to an hour In total, Im talking about comm itting six hours a week to your brain. That works out to 5 percent of your waking hours.Stop rolling your eyes. Its not all or nothing.Regarding body health and brain health, experts and neuroscientists agreeA little is good, and more is better.Heres something proven to make you smarter, healthier, and happier. What could be a better investment of your time?You might askIf its obviously so great, why dont we all do it?Becausehabitsandsocial influencesare much more powerful than we think.And, in general, we dont do what makes us happy - we do whats easy.But it doesnt have to be that way.Whats the best first step? Gohere.Join 45K+ readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related posts8 Things The Worlds Most Successful People All Have In CommonWhat 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple EmailsThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.The single most proven thing you can do right now to get sm arter and happierMany of the fixes for our problems arent complex - something thats clear inthe things I recommend people do every day.Whats a scientifically validated way to get smarter, happier, healthier and calmer?FollowLadders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard coveringHappiness,Productivity,Job Satisfaction,Neuroscience, andmoreStop reading this right now and go for a walk.Its that simple.Heres why.Exercise powers the body - and the mindThey used to say you dont grow new brain cells. They were wrong.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainAs an illustration of just how new this territory is, Ill go back to the story of neurogenesis, the once-heretical theory that the brain grows new nerve cells throughout life. Ten years ago people werent even convinced that it happened, says neurologist Scott Small. It was at his Columbia University lab, in 2007, where they witnessed telltale signs of neurogenesis for the first time in live humans. Fiv e years ago people said, OK, it might happen, but is it really meaningful? Now there isnt a week that goes by where theres not another study that shows neurogenesis has some kind of effect on the brain.What really feeds those baby brain cells? Hitting the gym.A 3 month exercise regimen increased bloodflow to thepart of your brain focused on memory and learning by 30%.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn his study, Small put a group of volunteers on a three-month exercise regimen and then took pictures of their brains. By manipulating a standard MRI machines processing- essentially zoomingin and cocking the shutter open- he captured images of the newly formed capillaries required for nascent neurons to survive. What he saw was that the capillary volume in the memory area of the hippocampus increased by 30 percent, a truly remarkable change.The dumb jock is a mythBeing in good shape increases your ability to learn. After exercise people pick up new voca bulary words 20% faster.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne of the prominent features of exercise, which is sometimes not appreciated in studies, is an improvement inthe rate of learning, and I think thats a really cool take-home message, Cotman says. Because it suggests that if youre in good shape, you may be able to learn and function more efficiently.Indeed, in a 2007 study of humans, German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise, and that the rate of learning correlated directly with levels of BDNF.Want to be more creative?Sweating for about a half hour on the treadmill notably increases cognitive flexibility.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA notable experiment in 2007 showed that cognitive flexibility improves after just one thirty-five-minute treadmill session at either 60 percent or 70 percent of maximum heart rateCognitive flexibili ty is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and answers as opposed to a regurgitation of the usual responses.Fine, you can see differences on an MRI and with nerdy tests. Does it make a difference in the real world?Yes.Office workers who exercised at lunch were more productive, less stressed and had more energy.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn 2004 researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England found that workers who used their companys gym were more productive and felt better able to handle their workloads. Most of the 210 participants in the study took an aerobics class at lunchtime, for forty-five minutes to an hour, but others lifted weights or practiced yoga for thirty minutes to an hour. They filled out questionnaires at the end of every workday about how well they interacted with colleagues, managed their time, and met deadlines. Some 65 percent f ared better in all three categories on days they exercised. Overall, they felt better about their work and less stressed when they exercised. And they felt less fatigued in the afternoon, despite expending energy at lunchtime.That super-productive co-worker who runs every day might not exercise because they have energy - they might have energy because they exercise.While it might not make you thesmartest person in the world,among the manyways to increase intelligence, exercise stands out.Sweating increases smilingCant make it simpler than thisResearch from Duke University shows exercise is as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn alandmark study affectionately called SMILE (Standard Medical Intervention and Long-term Exercise), James Blumenthal and his colleagues pitted exercise against the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft) in a sixteen-week trial Blumenthal concluded that exercise was as effective as medicatio n.It also reduces anxiety.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne interesting study in 2005 measured the physical and mental effects of exercise in a group of Chilean high school students for nine months The experimental groups anxiety scores dropped 14 percent versus a statistically insignificant 3 percent for the control group (an improvement that could be explained by the placebo effect).What if youre not depressed or anxious? Stay sedentary and youre 1.5x more likely to eventuallybecome depressed.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainResearchers tracked 8,023 people for twenty-six years, surveying them about a number of factors related to lifestyle habits and healthiness starting in 1965. They checked back in with the participants in 1974 and in 1983. Of all the people with no signs of depression at the beginning, those who became inactive over the next nine years were 1.5 times more likely to have depression by 1983 than the ir active counterparts.Still not convinced?People who exercise are, across the board, mentally healthier less depression, anger, stress, and distrust.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and cynical distrust than those who exercise less or not at all.Okay, Okay - How much do I need to do?Whatsoptimal? Exercise six days a week, 45 minutes to an hour per day.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainThe best, however, based on everything Ive read and seen, would be to do some form of aerobic activity six days a week, for forty-five minutes to an hour In total, Im talking about committing six hours a week to your brain. That works out to 5 percent of your waking hours.Stop rolling your eyes. Its not all or nothing.Regarding body health and brain health, experts and neuroscientists agreeA little is good, and more is better.Heres something proven to make you smarter, healthier, and happier. What could be a better investment of your time?You might askIf its obviously so great, why dont we all do it?Becausehabitsandsocial influencesare much more powerful than we think.And, in general, we dont do what makes us happy - we do whats easy.But it doesnt have to be that way.Whats the best first step? Gohere.Join 45K+ readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related posts8 Things The Worlds Most Successful People All Have In CommonWhat 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple EmailsThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.The single most proven thing you can do right now to get smarter and happierMa ny of the fixes for our problems arent complex - something thats clear inthe things I recommend people do every day.Whats a scientifically validated way to get smarter, happier, healthier and calmer?Stop reading this right now and go for a walk.Its that simple.Heres why.Exercise powers the body - and the mindThey used to say you dont grow new brain cells. They were wrong.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainAs an illustration of just how new this territory is, Ill go back to the story of neurogenesis, the once-heretical theory that the brain grows new nerve cells throughout life. Ten years ago people werent even convinced that it happened, says neurologist Scott Small. It was at his Columbia University lab, in 2007, where they witnessed telltale signs of neurogenesis for the first time in live humans. Five years ago people said, OK, it might happen, but is it really meaningful? Now there isnt a week that goes by where theres not another study that shows neurogenesis has some kind of effect on the brain.What really feeds those baby brain cells? Hitting the gym.A 3 month exercise regimen increased bloodflow to thepart of your brain focused on memory and learning by 30%.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn his study, Small put a group of volunteers on a three-month exercise regimen and then took pictures of their brains. By manipulating a standard MRI machines processing- essentially zoomingin and cocking the shutter open- he captured images of the newly formed capillaries required for nascent neurons to survive. What he saw was that the capillary volume in the memory area of the hippocampus increased by 30 percent, a truly remarkable change.The dumb jock is a mythBeing in good shape increases your ability to learn. After exercise people pick up new vocabulary words 20% faster.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne of the prominent features of exercise, which is sometimes no t appreciated in studies, is an improvement inthe rate of learning, and I think thats a really cool take-home message, Cotman says. Because it suggests that if youre in good shape, you may be able to learn and function more efficiently.Indeed, in a 2007 study of humans, German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise, and that the rate of learning correlated directly with levels of BDNF.Want to be more creative?Sweating for about a half hour on the treadmill notably increases cognitive flexibility.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA notable experiment in 2007 showed that cognitive flexibility improves after just one thirty-five-minute treadmill session at either 60 percent or 70 percent of maximum heart rateCognitive flexibility is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and answers as oppos ed to a regurgitation of the usual responses.Fine, you can see differences on an MRI and with nerdy tests. Does it make a difference in the real world?Yes.Office workers who exercised at lunch were more productive, less stressed and had more energy.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn 2004 researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England found that workers who used their companys gym were more productive and felt better able to handle their workloads. Most of the 210 participants in the study took an aerobics class at lunchtime, for forty-five minutes to an hour, but others lifted weights or practiced yoga for thirty minutes to an hour. They filled out questionnaires at the end of every workday about how well they interacted with colleagues, managed their time, and met deadlines. Some 65 percent fared better in all three categories on days they exercised. Overall, they felt better about their work and less stressed when they exercised. And they f elt less fatigued in the afternoon, despite expending energy at lunchtime.That super-productive co-worker who runs every day might not exercise because they have energy - they might have energy because they exercise.While it might not make you thesmartest person in the world,among the manyways to increase intelligence, exercise stands out.Sweating increases smilingCant make it simpler than thisResearch from Duke University shows exercise is as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainIn alandmark study affectionately called SMILE (Standard Medical Intervention and Long-term Exercise), James Blumenthal and his colleagues pitted exercise against the SSRI sertraline (Zoloft) in a sixteen-week trial Blumenthal concluded that exercise was as effective as medication.It also reduces anxiety.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainOne interesting study in 2005 measured the physical and mental effects of exercise in a group of Chilean high school students for nine months The experimental groups anxiety scores dropped 14 percent versus a statistically insignificant 3 percent for the control group (an improvement that could be explained by the placebo effect).What if youre not depressed or anxious? Stay sedentary and youre 1.5x more likely to eventuallybecome depressed.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainResearchers tracked 8,023 people for twenty-six years, surveying them about a number of factors related to lifestyle habits and healthiness starting in 1965. They checked back in with the participants in 1974 and in 1983. Of all the people with no signs of depression at the beginning, those who became inactive over the next nine years were 1.5 times more likely to have depression by 1983 than their active counterparts.Still not convinced?People who exercise are, across the board, mentally healthier less depression, anger, stress, and distrust.Vi aSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainA massive Dutch study of 19,288 twins and their families published in2006 showed that exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing. A Finnish study of 3,403 people in 1999 showed that those who exercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression, anger, stress, and cynical distrust than those who exercise less or not at all.Okay, Okay - How much do I need to do?Whatsoptimal? Exercise six days a week, 45 minutes to an hour per day.ViaSpark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the BrainThe best, however, based on everything Ive read and seen, would be to do some form of aerobic activity six days a week, for forty-five minutes to an hour In total, Im talking about committing six hours a week to your brain. That works out to 5 percent of your waking hours.Stop rolling your eyes. Its not all or nothing.Regarding body health and brain heal th, experts and neuroscientists agreeA little is good, and more is better.Heres something proven to make you smarter, healthier, and happier. What could be a better investment of your time?You might askIf its obviously so great, why dont we all do it?Becausehabitsandsocial influencesare much more powerful than we think.And, in general, we dont do what makes us happy - we do whats easy.But it doesnt have to be that way.Whats the best first step? Gohere.Join 45K+ readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related posts8 Things The Worlds Most Successful People All Have In CommonWhat 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple EmailsThis article originally appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.