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lilbanne's review against another edition
2.0
While Spark starts out very interesting with some great stories, it peaks early and the author drones on and on about the same concepts for the vast majority of the book. The claim is that the book is written using simple plain language, but this is not true. The book is filled with technical jargon and acronyms that an average person without a scientific background will struggle reading.
There are some Interesting insights but ultimately the book is dry and repetitive. The author says the same thing over and over, which is exercise helps your mental health. Nothing is revolutionary in the book for the layman. However if you are a researcher, there are lots of great tidbits from specific research studies conducted around exercise and mental health that are cited in the book.
Long story short, exercise, particularly high intensity aerobic exercise, is great for your mental health. Shocking.
There are some Interesting insights but ultimately the book is dry and repetitive. The author says the same thing over and over, which is exercise helps your mental health. Nothing is revolutionary in the book for the layman. However if you are a researcher, there are lots of great tidbits from specific research studies conducted around exercise and mental health that are cited in the book.
Long story short, exercise, particularly high intensity aerobic exercise, is great for your mental health. Shocking.
eiei's review
5.0
- what makes exercise attractive
- cognitive enhancement
- reading and comprehension
- attention
- BDNF release
- activating genes that call for the production of more BDNF, serotonin, and proteins that build up the synapses.
- making new cells
- improved executive function
- boosted self-confidence
- gaining a sense of mastery
- more receptors for insulin
- One of the ways exercise optimizes energy usage is by triggering the production of more receptors for insulin. In the body, having more receptors means better use of blood glucose and stronger cells. If you exercise regularly, and the population of insulin receptors increases if there is a drop in blood sugar or blood flow, the cell will still be able to squeeze enough glucose out of the bloodstream to keep working.
- Increasing IGF-1, which helps insulin manage glucose levels
- reduced the symptoms of anxiety
- only rigorous exercise alleviates sensitivity to the physical arousal of anxiety.
- better mood
- exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing
- those whoexercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression
anger, stress, and “cynical distrust” than those who exercise less or not at all.
- Increased dopamine(motivation)
- Studies have shown that chronic exercise increases dopamine storage in the brain and also triggers the production of enzymes that create dopamine receptors in the reward center of the brain, and this provides a feeling of satisfaction when we have accomplished something. If the demand is there, the dopamine genes get activated to produce more, and the overall effect is a more stable regulation of these pathways, which are important to controlling addictions
- Increased Serotonin
- Serotonin is equally affected by exercise, and it’s important for mood, impulse control, and self-esteem. It also helps stave off stress by counteracting cortisol, and it primes the cellular connections in the cortex and hippocampus that are important for learning
- reduce craving
- even ten minutes of exercise could blunt analcoholic’s craving
- In smokers, just five minutes of intense exercise can be beneficial
- become more resilient
- the more fit you are, the more resilient you are.If you are flexible in managing stress
- reduce period symptoms
- slow aging process
- the walking group averaged a 16 percent improvement in their maximal rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max), which is a measure of the lungs’capacity to process oxygen.
- those withimproved fitness had an increase in brain volume in the frontal and temporal lobes.
- It strengthens the cardiovascular system. A strong heart and lungs reduce resting blood pressure. The result is less strain on the vessels in the body and the brain.
- It boosts the immune system.
- It elevates your stress threshold.
- It fortifies your bones.
- Women reach peak bone mass at around thirty, and after that they lose about 1 percent a year until menopause, when the pace doubles. The result is that by age sixty, about 30 percent of a woman’s bone mass has disappeared. Unless, that is, she takes calcium and vitamin D (which comes free with ten minutes of
morning sun a day) and does some form of exercise or strength training to stress the bones.
- It fosters neuroplasticity.
- cognitive enhancement
- reading and comprehension
- attention
- BDNF release
- activating genes that call for the production of more BDNF, serotonin, and proteins that build up the synapses.
- making new cells
- improved executive function
- boosted self-confidence
- gaining a sense of mastery
- more receptors for insulin
- One of the ways exercise optimizes energy usage is by triggering the production of more receptors for insulin. In the body, having more receptors means better use of blood glucose and stronger cells. If you exercise regularly, and the population of insulin receptors increases if there is a drop in blood sugar or blood flow, the cell will still be able to squeeze enough glucose out of the bloodstream to keep working.
- Increasing IGF-1, which helps insulin manage glucose levels
- reduced the symptoms of anxiety
- only rigorous exercise alleviates sensitivity to the physical arousal of anxiety.
- better mood
- exercisers are less anxious, less depressed, less neurotic, and also more socially outgoing
- those whoexercise at least two to three times a week experience significantly less depression
anger, stress, and “cynical distrust” than those who exercise less or not at all.
- Increased dopamine(motivation)
- Studies have shown that chronic exercise increases dopamine storage in the brain and also triggers the production of enzymes that create dopamine receptors in the reward center of the brain, and this provides a feeling of satisfaction when we have accomplished something. If the demand is there, the dopamine genes get activated to produce more, and the overall effect is a more stable regulation of these pathways, which are important to controlling addictions
- Increased Serotonin
- Serotonin is equally affected by exercise, and it’s important for mood, impulse control, and self-esteem. It also helps stave off stress by counteracting cortisol, and it primes the cellular connections in the cortex and hippocampus that are important for learning
- reduce craving
- even ten minutes of exercise could blunt analcoholic’s craving
- In smokers, just five minutes of intense exercise can be beneficial
- become more resilient
- the more fit you are, the more resilient you are.If you are flexible in managing stress
- reduce period symptoms
- slow aging process
- the walking group averaged a 16 percent improvement in their maximal rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max), which is a measure of the lungs’capacity to process oxygen.
- those withimproved fitness had an increase in brain volume in the frontal and temporal lobes.
- It strengthens the cardiovascular system. A strong heart and lungs reduce resting blood pressure. The result is less strain on the vessels in the body and the brain.
- It boosts the immune system.
- It elevates your stress threshold.
- It fortifies your bones.
- Women reach peak bone mass at around thirty, and after that they lose about 1 percent a year until menopause, when the pace doubles. The result is that by age sixty, about 30 percent of a woman’s bone mass has disappeared. Unless, that is, she takes calcium and vitamin D (which comes free with ten minutes of
morning sun a day) and does some form of exercise or strength training to stress the bones.
- It fosters neuroplasticity.
evaward's review
4.0
"Exercise in the single most powerful tool available to improve brain function." I'm convinced. Time to work morning runs back into the routine--for my mental health!
dwimblim's review
3.0
3.5? A lot of great info, but so long I started skimming... I'll summarize: run!
thebethanystewart's review
5.0
Definitely helped widen my perspective on the benefits of exercising more than just "feeling better" or trying to look like an Instagram influencer. How exercise can affect your brain, learning, mental health, etc is kinda crazy, and this book did a great job of highlighting all of that.
stacy_wilson's review against another edition
5.0
This book spells out the variety of positive effects that exercise has on a person's brain. Ratey explains how the human brain has evolved to benefit in many ways from physical activity, including mood regulation, anxiety moderation, higher ability to learn, even staving off mental deterioration. He then details how exercise has benefitted particular subgroups, such as those with ADHD or depression, pregnant women, and the elderly. Despite discussing some unfamiliar neurochemical names, the narrative remains very accessible to the layperson. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants or needs a motivational boost to start an exercise/fitness program.
whiteplumbus's review
3.0
The book is worth reading for its opening and closing chapters, but its middle section is repetitive and uses excessive technical language without adding much.
Despite this, the overall message of the book - that exercise improves both physical and mental strength - motivated me to make a lifestyle change and try to exercise for the rest of my life.
Despite this, the overall message of the book - that exercise improves both physical and mental strength - motivated me to make a lifestyle change and try to exercise for the rest of my life.