1. Exercise Feeds the Brain
Your brain is one of the most metabolically demanding organs in your body, and it depends on robust blood flow to function well. Exercise helps supply the brain with the oxygen and nutrients it needs—making healthy circulation not just beneficial, but essential.

When you exercise, blood flow to the brain increases, delivering vital fuel for cognitive processes such as attention, reasoning, and memory. This enhanced circulation also stimulates the production of key molecules that support brain function. In other words, movement doesn’t just energize your muscles—it nourishes your mind.

2. Exercise Helps Secure Priceless Memories
We cherish our memories, yet we actually retain only a small fraction of our experiences. Writing memories down or sharing them with others can strengthen them, but exercise offers another, more biological advantage: it enhances the brain’s ability to store and retrieve information.

Exercise increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule essential for learning and memory. BDNF boosts synaptogenesis—the creation of new synapses—allowing the brain to form stronger connections and absorb information more easily. Over time, elevated BDNF improves both the capacity and functionality of memory systems.

If you need extra motivation to be active, consider this: every step, ride, or rep supports the long-term preservation of your most precious memories.

3. Exercise Lowers the Impact of Stress
Exercise isn’t a cure for stress, but it does change how the brain responds to it. Interestingly, activity doesn’t reduce the amount of stress hormones in the body. Instead, it reduces the number of stress receptors in the hippocampus—the brain region responsible for processing emotions and forming memories.

With fewer receptors, stress hormones exert less influence, meaning stressful events feel less overwhelming and easier to navigate.

And then there’s the famous “runner’s high.” During physical activity, the brain releases endorphins—natural chemicals that bind to opiate receptors and create feelings of euphoria. This rush, which can happen during or after nearly any type of exercise, is accompanied by reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms.

The result is a powerful, natural buffer against life’s stressors.