Name: Spark
ISBN: 9780316113502

John J. Ratey

Eric Hagerman

An investigation into the effects of exercise on the brain evaluates how aerobic exercise positively influences the progression of such conditions as Alzheimer's disease, ADD, and depression, in a report that shares theory-supporting case studies and the results of a progressive school fitness program. 30,000 first printing.

The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Spark

Dr John J. Ratey

We all know that exercise is good for the body. But did you know that it can transform your mind? This new scientific revolution will teach you how to boost brain cells, protect yourself against mental illness and dementia, and ensure success in exams and the workplace. Follow the SPARK! training regimen and build your brain to its peak performance. This book will change the way you think about exercise - and, for that matter, the way you think.

How exercise will improve the performance of your brain

Spark!

This book helped me establishing a consistent running schedule. As "just" helping the body was nit enough motivation for me, Spark helped me seeing the potential effects of exercise in the mind.

Marc Emmanuel

matej yangwao

** spoiler alert **
           Pretty nice and introduction to why exercise is vital with some baseline facts why you should move and why it's important due your again brain, which without exercise will worsen your memory recall.

So good advice take 150 moderate minutes every week and I set my goal to 200 😜

>Inactivity negatively affects the human brain, making it less capable of intellectual work.

>Physical activity encourages us to stay more focused when we need to learn something, which means we will more likely remember what we’ve studied because we pay more attention to the information.

>The brain is a muscle that we can train over time. Neuroscientists call it brain plasticity since we can see how our neural paths change when we practice new habits.

>Most of the time, the brain uses two neurotransmitters — glutamate and gamma–aminobutyric acid (GABA) — to memorize or forget anything read or heard. Glutamate transmits the signal between different neurons, making them connect and build a new “unit” with information in your head.

>Regular jogging or exercising increases the secretion of these neurotransmitters, and that’s why we feel better (usually morally) after a workout.

>One of the prominent features of exercise, which is sometimes not appreciated in studies, is an improvement in the rate of learning. It suggests that if you’re in good shape, you may be able to learn and function more efficiently.

>Scientists discovered that we could not receive and process new data without BDNF because it is the main brick in building new cells. The brain stores BDNF close to synapses and releases it when blood is pumping.


>However, you should combine different types of exercises since monotony, even in training, won’t be that effective for your brain.

>As long as the stress experienced is not too severe and there is a sufficient rest period, brain growth will be sparked. So, stress can be beneficialwhen controlled.

>A workout is a time machine that allows you to impede the aging process of your brain.

>Aging shows up in the little things first. As the connections in the brain break down, you have a harder time calling to mind people and places you’ve known.

>Exercise does not just maintain the brain; it reverses the adverse effects of aging, like cell death, and improves the brain’s ability to compensate.

Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance. In SPARK, John Ratey, MD embarks upon a fascinating journey through the mind-body connection, illustrating that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, that has put the local school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run.

Spark The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain