Memory Maximizers: Resistance Exercise Boosts Memory; Foods for Healthy Neurotransmitter Levels
Resistance Exercise Boosts Memory
Just 20 minutes of intensive resistance exercise, such as lifting weights, or doing squats or deep knee bends, can significantly improve your memory, a new study suggests. Moreover, the effects of one session of resistance exercise can improve memory for as long as two days, according to research published in the Sept. 25, 2014 issue of the journal Acta Psychologica.
Researchers recruited a group of adult volunteers and asked them to review a series of 90 photos on a computer screen. The participants were not asked to remember the photos, which were composed of a mix of images with positive, negative, and neutral themes. Next, the participants were divided into two groups. One group engaged in 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on a leg extension machine equipped with weights, extend-ing and contracting their legs at maximum effort for 50 repetitions. The other group sat at the leg-extension machine and simply allowed the machine to move their legs. During the leg-extension process, scientists measured participants’ heart rate and blood pressure and assessed saliva samples for biomarkers associated with stress.
Two days after the exercise session, the study participants were shown a series of 180 photos that included the 90 images they had seen earlier, and asked to identify the original pictures. Memory performance among participants who had exercised was about 10 percent better than that of participants who had not exercised. Analysis of the saliva samples showed that participants who exercised had shown indications of higher levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which has been associated in animal research with improved long-term memory for previous events. “Our study indicates that people don’t have to dedicate large amounts of time to give their brain a boost,” said the study’s lead author.
It’s always wise to check with your doctor before initiating a new exercise regimen. With his or her okay, consider engaging in resistance exercises, such as:
- Weight lifting • Exercising with resistance bands • Knee bends or squats
- Heel step-downs • Straight leg raises • Bench presses
- Arm raises • Pushups against a wall, or on the floor • Chin-ups
Consume These Foods for Healthy Neurotransmitter Levels
To keep your brain functioning optimally, you need a plentiful supply of chemicals called neurotransmitters, which help relay signals from cell to cell to control brain activity. A well-balanced diet is essential to ensure that your body has the basic elements necessary to produce healthy levels of neurotransmitters. Among these elements, called precursors, are the following:
Choline. Good sources include liver, eggs, and soybeans. Precursor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in attention, memory, learning and muscle stimulation.
Glutamic acid. Good sources include potatoes, wheat flour, seeds and nuts. Precursor for the neurotransmitter glutamate, which plays an important role in learning and memory.
Phenylalanine. Good sources include beets, eggs, whole grains, meats, soy-beans and almonds. Precursor for the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is involved in the brain’s pleasure and reward system as well as voluntary muscle movement.
Tryptophan. Good sources are cheese, milk, yogurt, meat, fish, nuts, bananas, and eggs. Precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays an important role in emotion, mood, anxiety, and the regulation of the sleep/wake cycle.
Tyrosine. Good sources are fish, meat, legumes, and milk. Precursor for the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which helps regulate mood and physical and mental arousal, among other functions.
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