Cardio exercise is one of nature’s very best medicines, especially for your heart and brain. And it’s free, available to all of us, all of the time. We simply need to engage in it on a regular basis in some form that we find enjoyable and appropriate to our age and physical condition. Our heart and brain need this medicine to maintain optimal health and to achieve a long healthspan. But why is this so? Why is cardio exercise so important for our heart and brain?

Cardio exercise is generally considered to be any exercise over a sustained period of time that raises one’s heart rate and breathing rate. When we think of cardio exercise, we often think of aerobic exercises like biking, running, swimming, and walking. That's not a wrong impression, but know that cardio exercise can be just about any activity that is sustained and that elevates our breathing and heart rate, such as dancing or even working vigorously in the garden.

That many forms of exercise, work and movement can be considered cardio exercise is welcome news, because cardio exercise has been shown to:

• Improve mood
• Demonstrate neuroprotective properties
• Enhance cognitive functioning
• Boost coordination
• Reduce levels of depression and anxiety,
• Manage stress

Let's take a closer look at the benefits of cardio exercise on brain and heart health. 

Exercise for Brain and Psychological Health

Cardio exercise can improve your brain function, including cognitive skills and memory. Your increased heart rate promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. This in turn can stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of new brain cells, especially in the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory. Also, cardio exercise can produce changes in areas of the brain that are associated with the reduction of anxiety and stress. One mechanism responsible for this is the increase in production of and sensitivity to certain hormones including dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

Exercise for Heart Health

There is a significant body of research that demonstrates the relationship between cardio exercise and cardiovascular health, especially pertaining to the regulation of cholesterol levels and blood pressure. In a study published in Nature Medicine, a team of scientists set out to investigate the role that chronic inflammation plays in heart health. Our bone marrow produces white blood cells, called leukocytes, which promote inflammation. While we need these white blood cells for immune response, the body often over-produces them, and they collect in artery walls. The build-up of these artery-clogging white cells is known as plaque.

During the study, two groups of mice were used, one with a treadmill for exercise, and one without. After six weeks, the mice who ran their treadmill had lower levels of the inflammatory leukocytes compared to the idle mice

Scientists explained that exercising caused the running mice to produce less leptin, which is a hormone produced by fat tissue that signals bone marrow to initiate the production of leukocytes. Ultimately, the diminished production of leukocytes led to a reduced output of inflammatory chemicals — a crucial step in the fight for heart health.