Stressed? Your brain needs this simple habit!
Thinking about lacing up your running shoes?
Do it — your brain will thank you.
A new study from Brigham Young University found that running doesn’t just support your heart and lungs — it can also protect your brain from the damaging effects of chronic stress.
Here’s why it matters:
When we’re stressed, the body goes into survival mode — and that means it often de-prioritizes memory and learning.
Over time, chronic stress can weaken the connections between brain cells — especially in the hippocampus, the area responsible for memory and learning.
Normally, our brain strengthens those connections (called synapses) through something called long-term potentiation (or LTP for short).
LTP is the process that helps us learn better and remember more clearly.
But when we’re stressed for too long, LTP slows down — and memory suffers.
That’s where exercise comes in.
The researchers found that people under stress who exercised regularly had stronger brain connections and made fewer memory mistakes — compared to those who didn’t exercise.
Even moderate jogging a few times a week helped preserve LTP and sharpen memory.
The takeaway:
We can’t always avoid stress…
But we can fight back — with movement.
Lace up, get outside, and let your brain catch a break.
