Regular cardiovascular exercise physically increases the volume of the hippocampus, the region of the brain directly responsible for verbal memory and learning.

A closer look

Regular cardiovascular exercise physically increases the volume of the hippocampus, the region of the brain directly responsible for verbal memory and learning. Sweating profusely on a treadmill while listening to true crime podcasts does not just punish your glutes, it literally forces your brain to become larger and less prone to age-related shrinking. For everyone who insists they prefer mental workouts over physical ones, the harsh physiological truth is that your sedentary crossword puzzles are no match for the neurogenesis triggered by desperately trying not to die in a spin class. It is profoundly annoying to accept that the secret to remaining sharp and intelligent in your later years requires voluntarily elevating your heart rate until you feel nauseous