Cardio Exercise Can Improve Your Memory

Josephine Potente is an attorney and the owner of Spend XTP Payments, a payment facilitation company and independent sales organization that specializes in school cafeteria payment solutions. With experience as a chief compliance officer, she has been in charge of anti-money laundering programs as well as compliance programs. When she is not at work, Josephine Potente is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys hiking, swimming, and particularly running.

Running and other cardio exercises have many health benefits that go beyond physical fitness and cardiac health. While it is known that running promotes the release of endorphins, which make us feel happier and relieve stress, a few studies conducted in 2020 have also revealed how cardio exercise can have a positive impact on our memory and overall neuronal health.

A study by the American Academy of Neurology showed how regular exercise, at least twice per week for a minimum of six months, can improve memory, especially in people with mild cognitive impairment, a condition common with aging. Another study by the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease on participants 60 or older and with memory problems documented significant improvement in memory scores in participants that completed one year of aerobic exercise training compared to a control group that only did stretching.

Furthermore, according to a study led by researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, cardio exercise has a positive effect on the production of N-acetyl aspartic acid (NAA), an important biochemical marker of neuronal health and of energy production that are related to improved cognitive performance.