When you have a chronic illness, your life will change dramatically, but one thing should not change: you should continue to exercise.

A healthy and functioning body requires daily movement.

Furthermore, during my healing journey, I discovered the impact that regular exercise has on the brain.

When dealing with a chronic illness, this information is critical.

That’s why my focus when approaching new clients is always on their brain and how to increase their performance, mobility, capacity, and competency regardless of their illness progression.

Physical activity reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety while also protecting against cognitive decline.

Discover how the right kind and amount of exercise can boost your cognition and rewire your brain.

Power of exercising

People frequently underestimate the importance of exercise in maintaining brain health.

Exercise is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain.

Exercising actually changes the brain’s anatomy, physiology and function.

Our brain undergoes numerous changes as a result of exercise. Our plastic brain chemistry is altered by exercise.

Exercise also influences how your brain produces and utilizes neurotransmitters. The dopamine and serotonin pathways are influenced by these plastic changes in functional brain areas.

This is because your exercise routine causes significant molecular and structural changes in your brain.

These neurobiological advances promote a new era in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Your brain changes permanently, and your ability to cope with acute stressors improves.

Clinical studies ^[1] have discovered that exercise can have both immediate and long-term effects on our brains.

Furthermore, physical activity “de-ages” certain parts of the brains of older adults. People who exercise have “younger” brains.

Exercise and chronic pain

Exercise has been shown to help people cope with the negative effects of chronic pain on their mood.

It can even help with joint pain and inflammation recovery. 

Regular light aerobic exercise, such as walking and cycling, can help chronic pain patients.

Patients suffering from chronic pain frequently report low mood, which can be indicative of a major depressive disorder. 

As sufferers continue to exercise, their mood improves, and their pain decreases over time.

The right amount of exercise

Everybody responds differently to exercise.

As a coach, I must forecast the number of drills, exercises, and practices I’ll use with my clients.

Furthermore, I keep in mind that exercise is a stressor for the body, which means it will activate that nervous system loop.

If you don’t feel safe while doing the exercise, if you lack the skill, or if the angles are unfamiliar to you, your brain may feel threatened and release a hormonal response, such as an increase in cortisol. Cortisol consumes muscle tissue, converting it to carbohydrates.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of exercisers injure themselves.

The majority of those injuries were caused not by bad movements, but rather by not giving those exercisers adequate amounts of what they needed.

When I’m trying to change the brain, one of the most important factors for neural plasticity is the intensity of activation.

In order for the brain to change quickly or for the changes to last longer, intensity is required.

Improving physical performance

Physical activity is a powerful gene modulator that causes structural and functional changes in the brain, leading to significant improvements in cognitive function and well-being.

To be successful at the highest level of sport, however, a multifaceted set of cognitive abilities is required: attention, decision making, and working memory.

This is where neurological training comes in.

The foundation of health and fitness is well functioning neurology.

Neurological training aims to stimulate the brain and nervous system in order to unlock more physical potential.

A high-level athlete is already extremely fit and does not need to get physically stronger to perform well; rather, they must improve their mental strength.

Competitions are won not only through physical strength but also through mental fortitude and focus.

Cognitive conditioning enables an athlete to take in information from the outside world more efficiently and quickly and to respond to it appropriately.

Improving physical performance will aid in the preservation of our brain from cognitive decline ​​and minimize the risk of injury.

When recovering from a chronic illness, understanding the brain’s pathways becomes an extremely valuable tool.

Conclusion

Neurological diseases include psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. They alter the brains of patients.

You may need to change your brain pattern in order to heal. This can be accomplished by training your brain.

Begin by exercising your body; by improving your movement, you will discover the incredible connection between the body and brain.

Including exercise in your life will not only give you a happier, more protective life, but it will also protect your brain from many diseases, changing the course of your life for the better.