Why does exercise have such a big impact on the brain?

Question

If I go 3 days without exercising, I start experiencing brain fog and get depressed & more anxious. When I workout again, I gain mental clarity, become more motivated to take on the day, and like 75% of the self-deprecating thoughts I experience go away. Why does this happen to me? What’s the science behind this?

In: 379

Answer 1

To add to other comments, something not touched on is why exercise causes the release of these neurochemicals (dopamine, endorphins, BNDF). As far as I know, we don’t know the answer to that question, but if someone does know, I’d love to learn.