9. Working out regularly may make you smarter now and lessen the possibility that you’ll lose brain function as you age. According to a recent animal study at the University of Illinois， exercise can actually help the brain develop new cells.
10. In several studies， regular weight training or aerobic exercise was shown to improve the quality and duration of sleep. Naturally， this can make you less fatigued and be able to function better during the day.
11. Like meditation， hobbies or any other leisure activity， exercise gives your mind a needed break from everyday thoughts， responsibilities and commitments.
Finally， there’s one more reason to keep exercising. When you work out regularly (but don’t overstrain)， your body simply， functions better—you are better， healthier and less likely to suffer painful physical conditions. And that just plain feels good.
众所周知，锻炼有益于身体健康。但是，许多人并没有意识到锻炼对智力也有好处。当然，我们不是说，练习举重会一下子把你变成另一个爱因斯坦——研究表明，有规律的锻炼能改善心境，提高自尊心，甚至增强大脑的功能。
就像身体和头脑在健康方面的其他关联一样，科学家们开始了解到，锻炼身体为什么能提高智力、改善情绪，但也知道了更多的可能性，新的研究还在继续进行。对于那些致力于促进头脑和身体不断发展的人，这里有12条新千年开始锻炼计划的附加理由。
1．锻炼能给你带来愉悦和成就感，并且，做某件明知对自己有好处的事，会增强你的自尊心。
2．锻炼会使身体分泌内啡肽，这种物质能缓解痛苦，有助于产生所谓的运动快感。
3．练习举重最能提高你的睾丸素水平，这样有助于心境的改善，尤其是如果你的睾丸素水平天生较低。
4．哈佛大学精神病医生、医学博士约翰·瑞特是一本关于精神错乱的、书名为《影子综合征》的合著者。他认为，一次锻炼就能提高大脑中抗忧郁物质的含量，如多巴胺、血清素和去甲肾上腺素等。