Feel Lazy to Hit the Gym? You Brain Might Be the Reason: Study

Blame your brain if you are unable to hit the gym regularly, says a study.

Working out is the best remedy for boredom and depression but many of us sometimes feel lazy and lack motivation to exercise daily. Researchers at the Seattle Children's Research Institute found why a few people have trouble sticking to their resolution to work out and go to the gym regularly.

 With the help of a rodent model, the experts discovered the 'dorsal media habenula', a brain region related to mood regulation and desire to engage in physical activity or exercise, affects your decision to adhere to a fitness regime. They believe this area can be targeted to understand certain mechanisms that trigger mental issues like depression and design treatment methods.

"Changes in physical activity and the inability to enjoy rewarding or pleasurable experiences are two hallmarks of major depression," said Eric Turner, study author and researcher at the Seattle Children's Research Institute, reports the Daily Mail.

"But the brain pathways responsible for exercise motivation have not been well understood. Now, we can seek ways to manipulate activity within this specific area of the brain without impacting the rest of the brain's activity," he said.

For the trial, scientists suppressed all stimulation in dorsal media habenula of the mice's brain and conducted a test to record physical activity level. It was observed that mice that loved running on wheels were less motivated to run even if they were rewarded with sweetened water.

"Without a functioning dorsal medial habenula, the mice became couch potatoes. They were physically capable of running but appeared unmotivated to do it," added Turner.

In addition, the study also noted upon activation of dorsal media habenula, the mice overindulged in physical activity proving that the brain region is associated with rewarding behavior.

More information is available online in the journal of Neuroscience.