If I sweat, will my suit of armor rust? Yes. But if you’re sweating while riding a FitDesk, then you’re doing it all wrong! That’s because light exercise, not a heart pumping workout, is all that is required to boost brain power.
Studies have shown that increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain from exercise promotes the production of new cells and neural connections in the areas of the brain responsible for learning, memory, problem solving, and creativity.
Exercise primes the brain for mental performance!
If you have a thinking-related task to do during the day – a presentation, a major meeting or a test – take 15 to 20 minutes to do some light exercise in the hour before the event. This exercise will increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain and improve your mental performance.
Ratey, John. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013.
Four FitDesks are located on the main floor of the James B. Duke Library. Two additional FitDesks can be found in the Sanders Science Library.