If you really want your brain to be at its best, you need to commit to regular physical exercise. Does that surprise you?

You may wonder why physical exercise is important if your main priority is to improve your brain function. Aren't very intellectual people often physically inert?

Perhaps some of them are, but everyone who has a body can benefit from exercising it. Even people who are very intelligent and scholarly will function better when exercise is a routine part of their lives.

Always remember that your brain is part of your physical body, and has very important physical needs. Your brain is nourished by the blood that comes in through your arteries, pumped by your heart.

The blood carries the glucose that your brain cells need to burn for fuel, the oxygen that is essential for this process, and many other chemicals that are important as messengers to the brain cells, or as building blocks for other compounds.

Numerous studies in humans and animals have found that the brain benefits from physical exercise. Here are some of the ways exercise helps brain function:

-Exercise improves the oxygenation of the blood.

-Exercise helps lower blood pressure. High blood pressure takes a toll on brain cells and greatly contributes to the danger of stroke.

-Exercise improves circulation of blood within the brain. It increases the efficiency of brain cell metabolism as well as assisting in the removal of waste products generated by your billions of neurons.

-Physical activity strengthens the heart, which is the pump that keeps everything going.

-Exercise reduces the levels of artery-clogging cholesterol.

-Regular exercise relieves depression.

-It counteracts the damaging effects of long-term stress on the brain.

-It improves mood and self-esteem.

-Exercise helps keep blood sugar level, which is very important, particularly for diabetics.

-Exercise can boost the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which not only affect mood, but also help "lock in" memories when they form.

-In animal studies, exercise appears to enhance the production of nerve growth factor, which helps the cells of the brain form new connections with each other.

Your ability to think clearly and creatively is dependent on the physical wellbeing of your brain and body. In turn, the wellbeing of your brain and body depends on the lifestyle decisions you make.

You can make decisions that increase the vibrant health of your body and brain, or that accelerate their decline.

Not all of us are keen about exercising our bodies, just as not all of us are keen about exercising our brains. As children, most of us loved to do both. Yet as we grow older we often lose the urge to exercise ourselves, either mentally or physically.

Only a minority of adults exercises consistently. However, the human body was not designed for excessive sitting and lying around. It was designed to move.

What sorts of exercises will help your brain as well as your body?

To improve the capacity of your heart and lungs, aerobic exercises are the best. This means the kind of exercise where you tax your body enough to raise your heart beat rate to a target level.

To gain aerobic benefits for your heart, lungs and circulatory system, aim to achieve a target heart rate that is 50 % more than your rate at rest. You don't need to work up a sweat for your heart and lungs to benefit.

You shouldn't overdo it either. Learn to keep up a steady pace that still allows you to talk comfortably with a friend. To improve your aerobic capacity, exercise aerobically for about 20 minutes three or four times a week.

A form of exercise that can greatly improve the oxygenating capacity of the heart and lungs is swimming, especially swimming under water. The amount of time you spend holding your breath while swimming under water should be built up gradually.

Swimming under water should not be attempted if you have any form of heart or blood vessel disease unless you have clearance from your doctor.

Another type of exercise that can be very beneficial for the brain is some form of mind-body exercise. These include such exercise traditions as yoga, tai-chi, and chi-gung. There are many schools and variations of mind-body exercises.

People who practice mind-body exercises regularly report they experience reduced stress, increased calmness, and greater clarity of thinking.

For many people, the most easily accessible and universally beneficial form of exercise is walking. You can walk alone or with others. You can walk indoors or outdoors.

A walk can be part of a formal program, or an individual ramble through a favorite neighborhood or nature area.

Is it better to walk slowly or quickly? It's up to you. Some people find that a brisk walk is a great stress reliever, while others get more peace from a very slow and meditative walk.

Your mind will benefit more if you stay totally focussed in the moment, rather than using this time to continue dwelling on your problems.

How much should you exercise? Whatever you choose to do it is important that you continue to do it regularly.

Exercising vigorously for three hours on the weekend will not make up for a sedentary lifestyle the rest of the week. It will also leave you exhausted and sore, and unwilling to exercise again.

It is therefore important to choose an activity that you really enjoy. Don't pick anything too strenuous to begin with if you are not used to exercising. Aim to exercise at least four times a week or more, for at least half an hour at a time, up to an hour.

If you are over forty, are out of shape, or have some medical condition, check with your doctor before undertaking an exercise program. This article is an excerpt from the new book by Royane Real titled "How You Can Be Smarter – Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative" If you want to improve your learning ability, download it today, or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real