This is how you get smarter by doing squats

So I have a fantastic little book, Just One Thing, that is filled with the very best life tips. Small things that promote your life and health. That applying them is no guarantee for a long life, unfortunately became clear when the author himself passed away after a fall during a walk on vacation. Intensely sad and a great loss. But that doesn't mean that the tips described in his book are not good. On the contrary, he has a great scientific basis for small things that change your life. And I will highlight one from time to time.

Today: the squat.

I must say that I really find the squat a very okay exercise that is not intensely heavy and that you can do quickly. Better than burpees, I would say. And they are therefore incredibly good for you. I will explain it briefly. At least, I will tell you how Michael Mosley explains it.

Squatting is even better than walking, although the hot girl walk of course is still very pleasant.

Squats activate the largest muscle group in your body and are therefore good for your body, but also for your brain. And it works as follows:
By moving up and down with resistance – your own body weight – your brain area is very well supplied with blood, especially the ‘smart’ part that is responsible for learning and memory. Sidenote; did you know that women have a better memory than men?

Squats also promote the production of a hormone, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which promotes the growth of new brain cells.

You could even say, a bit simplistically perhaps, that squatting helps against the mental decline that can be a side effect of aging. Here's how: As you age, the oxygen supply to the brain decreases, leading to cognitive decline. Exercise improves blood flow, and here too, the up-and-down movement increases and decreases blood flow, stimulating blood vessels and releasing substances that help the brain grow.

So even in your old age: squat. It’s done quickly, and you’ll enjoy it for years.

More tips? Then buy Just One Thing by Michael Mosley, truly my favorite book.