Grow your brain by moving your body—just 10 minutes a day | Wendy Suzuki

Become a Big Think member to unlock expert classes, premium print issues, exclusive events and moreExercise neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki explains how your brain can age gracefully and optimally and it starts with just a 10 minute walk.

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Did you know that just three months of consistent exercise can boost your brain function? Exercise neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki explains how working out can strengthen your cognitive abilities.

According to Suzuki, even just ten minutes of walking can alleviate anxiety and depression because of the neurochemicals released during exercise. She shares a study that indicated people who were previously sedentary experienced notable improvements in their baseline mood, prefrontal function, and hippocampal function with only 2-3 exercise sessions per week.

If you’re already exercising, don’t worry — you’re still able to reap these benefits! Suzuki believes increasing the intensity of your preexisting workouts only further boosts the benefits for your brain. Just don’t go overboard, she says, because that can hurt you more than help you.

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About Wendy Suzuki:

Dr. Wendy A. Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University. She received her undergraduate degree in Physiology and Human Anatomy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987, studying with Prof. Marion C. Diamond, a leader in the field of brain plasticity. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from U.C. San Diego in 1993 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health before accepting her faculty position at New York University in 1998. Dr. Suzuki is author of the book Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better.