Train your body, rewire your brain

Your next workout could literally grow your brain.

Regular physical activity can increase the size of your hippocampus (the brain’s memory center) by up to 2%, according to research from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

That might sound small, but it effectively reverses 1–2 years of age-related decline. 

Your brain and body work in tandem. Every step, reach, or twist sends a flood of information through your nervous system, shaping how your brain works and adapts. The right types of movement keep muscles strong while actively building and preserving neural pathways. 

When you train your body in ways that also challenge your mind, you get a compound return: better healthspan, sharper thinking, and a buffer against age-related decline.

The science of neuroplasticity in motion

Neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to adapt and rewire, thrives on novelty. 

Movements that demand coordination, balance, and timing activate multiple brain regions at once, creating new connections and reinforcing old ones. 

A 2023 review in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that physically complex activities like dancing, martial arts, and racquet sports significantly improve memory, executive function, and spatial awareness in older adults. 

The effect is amplified when learning something new, because both motor and cognitive circuits are engaged.

Mix it up, stay sharp

Not all exercise, however, delivers the same brain benefits. While walking is excellent for overall health, it doesn’t fully stimulate the neural systems that thrive on challenge. 

Activities that integrate learning (mastering a new skill) and coordination (timing, balance, precision) create richer stimulation for the brain. This is why sports, choreographed workouts, or even activities like rock climbing or table tennis can do more for cognitive health than repetitive movement alone.

Variety is key - your brain adapts best when you push beyond your comfort zone and expose it to different forms of stimulus. 

That said, this doesn’t have to be limited to physical skill work. Sauna, for example, challenges the body with controlled heat stress, triggering heat shock proteins that protect brain cells, improving circulation to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to neural tissue, and increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to support neuroplasticity. 

Challenge your brain and body today

Start by adding one brain-body challenge into your week with something like…

• Try a new dance class

• Learn a few martial arts drills

• Swap one gym session for a game of pickleball or tennis

If you’re pressed for time, add coordination drills to your warmup - think single-leg balance with ball tosses or alternating hand-foot touches. 

For an extra boost, pair movement with learning something new, like a language podcast while doing agility ladder drills. 

On recovery days, use the sauna as another way to challenge your body, stimulate brain-supportive proteins, and improve blood flow.

The more your body and brain work together, the stronger, and younger, both will stay.

TLDR TRIO

📈 Boost neuroplasticity through combined movement, learning, and recovery stressors
✅ Sharper memory, coordination, and focus well into later life
⌛ Add brain-body workouts and sauna sessions 1–2 times per week for lasting benefits