How to Get More Oxygen to the Brain
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Originally Posted On: https://www.happihuman.com/blog/how-to-get-more-oxygen-to-the-brain
Have you ever noticed that you can think better after you exercise? One of the reasons for this is because exercise can boost blood flow to your brain. Since blood delivers oxygen (and nutrients) to all parts of the body, an increase of blood flow to the brain results in more oxygen to the brain.
A recent study from the University of Calgary found that cerebral blood flow velocity was boosted in older adults who stuck with an aerobic exercise program for six months. Doing so also optimized cognitive functions and improved cerebrovascular regulation. Another study from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that a twelve-month aerobic exercise program could increase brain blood flow and significantly improve neurocognitive functions for people at risk of dementia.
Whether you are looking to break through brain fog or are concerned with your long-term brain health, learning how to boost the level of oxygen in your brain through increased blood flow is essential.
Let’s take a look at some of the different ways you can get oxygen to the brain and what benefits doing so can provide.
Get Oxygen to the Brain With Exercise
One of the most accessible and best ways to increase circulation and brain blood flow is through exercise.
Some studies have found that you can increase blood flow to your brain by as much as 15% with moderate exercise. You will even reap the benefits of increased oxygen to the brain from taking a brisk 30-minute walk three or four times a week.
There are countless other benefits to exercise in addition to increasing the flow of oxygen to your brain. For this reason, you should consider picking up exercise as one of your long-term health habits.
Get Oxygen to the Brain With Exercise
Did you know that brain blood flow and circulation are stimulated by exposure to light? One study found that light therapy could increase blood flow and create increased activity in the brain.
Researchers have also found a link between brain blood flow and vitamin D levels. Vitamin D has long been recognized for its positive effects on brain health and mood-stabilizing abilities.
GET COLD EXPOSURE
Another way of improving blood flow to the brain and increasing oxygen to it is by exposing yourself to cold. A lot of research has been done on the positive effects cold showers have on circulation and blood flow.
But for some people, the idea of taking a cold shower is the least appealing notion in the world! However, you can actually get more blood flowing to your brain by exposing yourself to cold showers.
In fact, studies have found that you can increase the speed of blood flow to the brain just by holding your hand in ice water for one minute.
There have also been a number of animal studies that have suggested that cerebral blood flow could be significantly increased by cold exposure.
You can expose yourself to cold by turning your shower water to cold or by going out in the colder seasons with less clothing than usual. It’s also known that cold exposure supports the endocannabinoid system and stimulates the vagus nerve. But please be smart about exposing yourself to extreme cold to avoid hypothermia.