Move The Body, Heal The Mind
Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep
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4.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
A noted neuroscientist reveals groundbreaking research on how fitness and exercise can combat mental health conditions such as anxiety, dementia, ADHD, and depression, and offers a plan for improving focus, creativity, and sleep.
Jennifer Heisz shares paradigm-shifting research on the powerful mind-body connection, finding that intervals of intense workouts, or even leisurely walks, help stop depression and dementia, lessen anxiety and ADHD, and encourage better sleep, creativity, and resilience. Physical inactivity is the greatest risk factor contributing to dementia and anxiety—it’s as much a factor as genetics. In addition, exercise’s anti-inflammatory properties make it the most effective treatment strategy for those who are depressed and don’t respond to anti-depressants. The book focuses on overcoming inertia, using exercise for addiction recovery, how we can improve our memory with fitness even as we age, and, importantly, how exercise can help us sleep better, improve focus, and be more creative. Included are easy to use plans for unique aerobic and resistance workouts designed to strengthen the brain.
Dr. Heisz translates complex neuroscience into a practical plan for mental wellness.
Better Sleep and Brain Health: Learn how specific workouts can reset your biological clock, helping you fall asleep faster and achieve the deep sleep necessary for clearing toxins and preventing dementia.Anxiety and Stress Reduction: Uncover the science behind how movement calms an overactive amygdala and tones your stress response, building resilience against the pressures of daily life.A New Approach to Depression: Discover why exercise is often the most effective treatment for depression, particularly for those who don't respond to antidepressants, thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory effects.Sharper Focus and Creativity: Move beyond inertia with simple, actionable plans designed to boost executive function, improve memory, and unlock your creative potential.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
As this eye-opening book illustrates, issues like depression, anxiety, and forgetfulness are definitely not all “in your head”—and neither are the solutions. Neuroscientist Jennifer Heisz explains how keeping your body in shape can greatly improve your mental health, mapping out the science behind this discovery in an approachable way. We loved learning about the powerful connection between the mind and body and appreciated Heisz’s simple workouts, which require no special equipment. These incorporate easy exercises specially designed to fight depression, ward off dementia, improve focus, and help you sleep better at night. Heisz even offers practical advice on sticking to your workout routine. If you want to lead a happier, healthier life, Move the Body, Heal the Mind can put you on the right path.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Heisz, professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, debuts with an informative if shaky "self-help guide on the neuroscience of exercise." She makes the case that exercise can help individuals overcome addiction, reduce the probability of experiencing dementia, improve sleep patterns, enhance creativity, and beat depression (especially in cases when antidepressants don't work). In each section, Heisz provides basic information about neuroscience to explain how exercise can improve a given issue, and offers movement programs designed as a "neuro fix": for improving sleep quality, for example, an afternoon walk outside can help "reset brain time" and sync one's circadian rhythm; cross-training, on the other hand, is great for enhanced focus and creativity. Heisz's findings are often fascinating—she notes that inactivity leads to high blood pressure and puts one "at risk of small vessel disease," which, in turn, can cause the brain's white matter to starve, leading to dementia—but her cloying prose becomes tiresome quickly ("What's the exercise prescription for resiliency? It's easy. Hooray!"), and the "case study characters" she creates end up distracting rather than clarifying. The idea has potential, but the execution is lacking.
