Will exercise help me remember better?

Exercise is a way to keep your brain healthy — Exercise is as good for your brain as it is for the rest of your body!

Exercise is generally good for your brain, and it may be especially helpful for memory. Forming new memories or retrieving old ones requires lots of brain cells to be working together. To function, those cells all need oxygen. About 1/5 of the oxygen you take in with each breath is going to fuel your brain. So, when you keep your cardiovascular system healthy (that’s the system that sends oxygen throughout your body) you’re also keeping your brain and all your nervous system healthy!

The hippocampus - which is so important for memory - is especially sensitive to oxygen levels. Lots of research suggests that exercise is particularly helpful for the cells in the hippocampus. Exercise seems to help those cells work well, and might even help new cells to grow!

Many people report that exercise also is helpful for getting over learning blocks or for thinking creatively about a problem you’re trying to solve. Exercise can also help to reduce stress levels and negative emotions, both of which can get in the way when you’re trying to learn and to remember.


There are many activities you can do to give the brain the exercise it needs. You can take a walk or hike or jog. You can ride a bike or skate. You can dance or do martial arts. The list goes on and on!

So, if you want to learn and remember information as best you can, be sure to make exercise a regular part of your weekly routine!


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What is happening in my brain when I am learning something new?