Relationship between Exercise and the brain

April 30, 2024

Overcoming Inactivity: Understanding the Brain’s Resistance to Exercise and Strategies for Incorporating Physical Activity into Daily Life

It is important to understand the the significance of exercise for the Brain. Research reveals that being active improves almost every aspect of well-being, including sleep, physical strength, and mental health, while also reducing the chances of developing chronic illnesses and dying prematurely. Furthermore, studies demonstrate that exercise is beneficial even in brief intervals without equipment or expensive gym memberships.

Despite the importance of exercise, many individuals do not engage in enough physical activity. As reported by research published in 2023, less than 33% of American adults meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity during their leisure time. This includes at least 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, each day and a few sessions of muscle-strengthening activities (such as resistance training) per week.

Barriers to Exercise

It can be challenging to motivate individuals to engage in actions that are beneficial and easily accessible to them. This is often due to physical constraints and health issues, as over half of American adults have some form of chronic illness. The modern lifestyle also plays a significant role, as long and inactive work hours and limited infrastructure make it more convenient to drive rather than walk or bike. Furthermore, research has consistently shown that those with lower incomes are less likely to engage in physical activity than those with higher incomes. This is partly because they may reside in areas with fewer safe and pleasant spaces for exercise.

Studies have revealed another barrier that impacts everyone: our brains are not inclined towards physical activity.

Evolutionary Perspective

Throughout human history, individuals were required to engage in physical activity to fulfill essential tasks such as procuring or cultivating sustenance. Our species adapted to endure a significant amount of movement while naturally being drawn towards rest periods to conserve energy for times when movement was essential or enjoyable. This is explained by Daniel Lieberman, a biologist specializing in human evolution who wrote the book Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.

According to Lieberman, it would have been illogical for hunter-gatherers to go jogging to burn calories, as this would provide no evolutionary advantage. They would have been expending energy on a pointless activity.

According to Lieberman, although our society may not be as physically active in our everyday lives, our instinct to save energy still persists. He explains that reluctance to exercise is a natural and common response.

Cognitive Effort and Default Choices

According to associate professor Matthieu Boisgontier, a researcher in physical activity at the University of Ottawa, a 2018 study demonstrated this phenomenon. Participants were connected to brain activity monitors and instructed to control a digital avatar. The task was to move the avatar away from images of sedentary behavior on their computer screens and towards images of physical activity. The study by Boisgontier and his team revealed that resisting sedentary behavior required more cognitive effort, indicating that our default choice tends to be relaxation over movement.

Numerous research studies have shown that people tend to opt for escalators over stairs, as seen in this study. This inclination is not necessarily negative, but the abundance of opportunities to rest in modern society has led to an unhealthy extreme, as pointed out by Boisgontier.

Psychological Factors

According to Jackie Hargreaves, a senior lecturer on sport and exercise psychology at Leeds Beckett University in the U.K., negative feelings towards exercise may be rooted in childhood experiences, which can subconsciously affect one’s attitude towards working out well into adulthood. This could be due to past instances of embarrassment in gym class or unpleasant encounters with youth sports teams.

According to research, individuals who perceive themselves as capable exercisers are more likely to maintain a consistent exercise routine, whereas those with low confidence may face difficulties in finding motivation. Stefanie Williams, a behavioral scientist working with a U.K. organization that applies health research, supports this notion.

Tips for tricking your brain to exercise

According to Sam Zizzi, an exercise psychologist at West Virginia University, having a positive mindset about one’s capabilities is essential in finding the drive to engage in physical activity. To begin, Zizzi suggests starting with small steps, such as walking for a few minutes each day, and gradually increasing the intensity over time. Additionally, observing someone in a similar age, gender, or health category as oneself can serve as a source of inspiration and show that the same goals are attainable, as noted by Williams.

According to Lieberman, an unconventional approach to boosting confidence is acknowledging how our brains can hinder our success. We are often told that our lack of exercise is due to laziness or personal flaws. Still, Lieberman argues that this is counterproductive for those who exercise solely for fitness. Instead, replacing feelings of guilt and shame with self-compassion and a deeper understanding of our brain’s workings can have a significant impact.

Incorporating Exercise for Brain Health into Daily Life

Shifting the perspective of what is considered as exercise can also be beneficial. The traditional notion of spending an hour at the gym lifting weights is not the only option; engaging in activities like dancing in the kitchen or gardening for a few minutes each day has been proven to positively affect both the mind and body, as supported by various studies. According to Hargreaves, it is not necessary to participate in intense and competitive sports; rather, it is about being physically active in enjoyable ways.

According to Zizzi, it is beneficial to incorporate exercise into activities that serve a dual purpose. This could include organizing a bike ride with friends, combining your workout with a social gathering, or transforming a business meeting into a walk-and-talk session. By intertwining exercise with tasks that are already on your agenda, Zizzi suggests that it becomes more manageable to disregard the temptation to simply remain sedentary on the couch.

Source:

Jamie Ducharme (January 30, 2024). Your Brain Doesn’t Want You to Exercise. Times. https://time.com/6590020/why-its-so-hard-to-motivate-yourself-to-exercise/. Accessed April 27, 2024