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The Simple Link Between Core Strength and Brain Health

Episode July 3, 2026 7 min 29s

The Simple Link Between Core Strength and Brain Health

From Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health Dr. Mercola

Your abdominal muscles physically influence your brain every time you move by creating pressure changes that affect brain fluid circulation, nervous system signaling, and mechanical stimulation inside the skull
Research showed that exercises combining movement with coordination and focus, including yoga, tai chi, Pilates, dance and bodyweight training, improved memory, attention, decision-making and overall thinking ability across all age groups
Shorter exercise programs often produced stronger cognitive improvements than long-term workout programs, making brain-supportive movement realistic and sustainable for people with busy schedules or low energy
Bodyweight movements like planks, pushups, bear crawls, mountain climbers, glute bridges and slow squats strengthen your core while simultaneously challenging balance, posture and coordination that sharpen brain function
Long periods of sitting reduce the abdominal activation and movement-related brain stimulation that support mental clarity, meaning frequent daily movement and posture changes help maintain focus, reaction speed and cognitive resilience

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