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Health

How you can use the power of exercise to feel better and think clearer

We know that exercising is good for the brain. But now that we understand why, we can say what kinds of workouts maximise the brain-boosting powers of physical exertion

By Catherine de Lange

31 May 2023

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

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IN JANUARY, I set myself a resolution: to master the humble chin-up. I have never had much upper body strength, and I knew it would be hard, but that is OK, I thought, because I am not doing this to get stronger or fitter. I am doing this for my brain.

Like a lot of people, I used to exercise to stay physically fit. But a few years ago, while writing my book Brain Power: Everything you need to know for a healthy, happy brain, I dug into the literature on exercise and the mind. What I discovered changed…

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