High Intensity Interval Training: a well-ageing strategy for enduring brain health
Two key attributes of a healthy brain are good blood circulation and abundance of naturally created brain derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), a growth hormone for the brain and other nerve cells. Aerobic exercise is the most powerful tool in your wellness toolkit for creating both. The idea behind High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is to amp up the results of your aerobic exercise practice. Continuous moderate or vigorous aerobic exercise creates a continuous level of exertion as measured by heart rate and respiration. Most people can sustain moderate aerobic exercise for twenty, thirty or more minutes after a few weeks or months of practice, working up to vigorous exercise over time if they so desire.
Still, the more vigorous the exercise, the more calories burned, the higher the heart rate and greater the blood circulation, right? Right. But even the most fit among us cannot sustain “maximum” (>85-90% max HR) levels of exertion for more than a few minutes at a time before requiring a recovery period. This is where HIIT comes in. By alternating bouts of maximal exercise with bouts of low-moderate exercise, science shows we create greater overall benefits in circulation and calories burned than with continuous exercise.
And this translates into healthier hearts and healthier brains. Click on this link for more.