It's no great secret that exercise is good for us. Almost daily there is one report or another showing the diseases regular exercise can ward off and also the psychological benefits.
Something we don't normally attribute to physical exercise is the brain changing effects it can have. Fit and healthy children who were measured for their IQ levels were found to have higher IQ levels compared to the more fit ones. The actual size of the hippocampus region of the brain in adults and children actually increases and brain cells have been shown to live longer.
The ideal amount of exercise has been placed at around 25 - 40 minutes, although if you are also adding meditation or some kind of stretch or massage routine this can increase the time expected to spend.
The other factor that has come to light has been the emotional improvements in those suffering from depression, anxiety or even addiction.
The good news is that exercise can be anything whereby we are moving around reasonably actively. Gardening, household chores (active cleaning and sweeping type activities) cleaning the car, regular brisk walks are all examples of great exercise for those not up to some of the more extreme sports.
Watch this clip by Dr. Roger Walsh, it is very informative:
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