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| What if weightlifting builds up your mind’s resilience as well as your body’s? New research revealing how exercise literally rewires the brain through the growth of new neurons appears to support this idea. |
| Today, we’ll look at what this might mean for us and how you can lift your own spirits, in and out of the gym. |
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Let’s get to it!
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline
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Written by Tim Snaith
June 27, 2025 • 4 min read |
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| Were the gym bros right all along? |
| In the latest research on exercise and behavior in Japan, researchers put mice through traumatic experiences, which left the animals stressed and fearful for over a month. But mice with access to running wheels were better able to forget traumatic memories and showed less associated symptoms like anxiety, compared to those without exercise opportunities.
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| Exercise increased the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus, the brain region that handles memory. As these new neurons grew, they rewired the brain’s memory networks, disrupting the ability to recall traumatic experiences. Think of it as exercise that installs new circuits that make old, painful connections fade away.
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| The researchers were surprised to discover that exercise was the best way to erase memories of bad experiences. They also tried speeding up neuron growth using advanced genetic techniques, but exercise consistently produced stronger results!
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| Mice? Great. What about humans?
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| A major review of 97 studies covering over 1,000 human trials found that exercise is highly beneficial for treating depression, anxiety, and stress. People with depression, HIV, kidney disease, and postpartum depression all showed significant improvement with structured exercise programs. High intensity exercise produced the most dramatic mental health improvements.
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| When people talk about “crushing their demons” in the gym, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt because whenever I feel low, throwing some weights around, doing a bunch of pullups, or cycling at the limit of my ability seems to clear away the darkest clouds.
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| How to get started without getting overwhelmed
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| For some, there is a catch-22 to get over first: Starting an exercise routine can feel impossible when you’re depressed. How to get around that?
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| For weightlifting specifically, start small. Try bodyweight exercises at home — squats, pushups, lunges — before moving to weights. Many community centers offer beginner classes for older adults. The social aspect adds another layer of benefit.
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| If you have physical limitations, any resistance counts. Chair exercises with resistance bands or light dumbbells can trigger the same brain-changing effects. You don't need to become a powerlifter. You just need to consistently challenge your muscles.
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| P.S. “Lift heavy things, make sad head voice quiet” is a popular internet meme about weightlifting's mental health benefits. It captures something the research confirms: sometimes the most effective remedies are simple (but not necessarily easy) physical acts.
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