{"id":34,"date":"2025-07-13T07:19:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T07:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e615.net\/blog\/?p=34"},"modified":"2025-06-17T19:37:58","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T19:37:58","slug":"movement-and-your-brain-a-new-reason-to-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e615.net\/blog\/uncategorized\/movement-and-your-brain-a-new-reason-to-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"Movement and Your Brain: A New Reason to Exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Take a moment to ask yourself: Why are you motivated to move your body?<\/strong>
Is it for physical health? Weight loss? Social interaction? Cardiovascular benefits?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re like most of our clients I’ve spoken with over the years, your first answer probably isn\u2019t mental and emotional well-being<\/strong>. And yet, this may be one of the most powerful and overlooked reasons of all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt turns out that moving our muscles produces proteins that travel through the bloodstream and into the brain, where they play pivotal roles in the mechanisms of our highest thought processes… exercise is as effective as certain medications for treating anxiety and depression.\u201d<\/em>
\u2014 John J. Ratey, M.D., Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about how movement is one of the most accessible, cost-effective, and side-effect-free therapies<\/strong> available for improving mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What the Research Says<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since the 1990s, neuroscience has increasingly highlighted the link between exercise and brain health<\/strong>. At the same time, social media and pop culture have pushed the narrative that the primary goal of exercise is aesthetics. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look better, it’s time we give equal (or more) credence to how exercise makes us feel<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what happens when you move your body:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise boosts brain chemicals:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n