Why Squats, Lunges, and Leg Day Exercise Could Be the Secret Weapon for Sharper Thinking and Better Mental Health

When most people think about protecting their brain, they picture crossword puzzles, meditation apps, or salmon-heavy meal plans. Rarely does anyone picture leg day. But a growing body of research suggests that what happens below the waist may have profound consequences for what happens above the neck — and the science behind it is harder to ignore than ever.

Experts increasingly agree that lower-body workouts aren’t just about aesthetics or athletic performance. They may be one of the most underappreciated tools available for cognitive sharpening, emotional regulation, and long-term mental resilience.

The Blood Flow Connection

The foundation of the brain-leg relationship starts with circulation. The muscles of the lower body — the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves — are among the largest in the human body. When activated through movements like squats and lunges, they demand significantly more oxygen and nutrients, compelling the heart to work harder and push greater volumes of blood through the body.

That increased circulation doesn’t stop at the legs. It reaches the brain, delivering the oxygen and glucose the organ needs to operate at its highest level. More blood flow means more fuel — and a better-functioning mind as a result.

Lower-Body Exercise and Laser Focus

Improved circulation translates directly into something most people desperately want: sharper focus and clearer thinking. Resistance training, in particular, has been linked to enhanced attention span and stronger executive function — the cognitive system that governs planning, decision-making, emotional regulation, and the ability to juggle competing priorities.

Orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists point to a specific lineup of movements as especially effective for these cognitive gains: bodyweight squats, deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, and sled pushes or drags. For those looking to sustain mental clarity throughout the week, two to three dedicated lower-body sessions appear to be the sweet spot.

Neurogenesis: Growing a Sharper Brain

Perhaps the most compelling — and least expected — benefit of heavy leg training is its potential to stimulate neurogenesis, the process by which the brain generates new nerve cells. Intense lower-body exercise has been shown to trigger the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a protein essential for the growth and maintenance of neurons.

This matters enormously for the long game. Research tracking participants over a decade found that leg strength was among the most reliable predictors of cognitive aging — meaning that people with more powerful lower bodies tended to maintain sharper minds well into later life. Building strong legs, it turns out, may be one of the most practical investments a person can make in their future cognitive health.

Balance, Coordination, and the Proprioception Payoff

The relationship between the brain, nervous system, and muscles is bidirectional. The brain directs movement, but training the body also rewires the brain. Exercises that challenge coordination and balance — single-leg movements like split squats, controlled slow repetitions, or lunges paired with rotation — sharpen proprioception, the body’s internal sense of where it is in space.

Better proprioception doesn’t just make someone a more capable athlete. It improves the quality of everyday movement, reduces injury risk, and contributes to a level of mental acuity that extends beyond the gym floor.

The Mental Health Case for Leg Day

The psychological benefits of lower-body training round out a picture that’s difficult to dismiss. Exercise, including resistance training focused on the legs, has been consistently shown to lower baseline cortisol levels — the hormone most directly associated with chronic stress. Studies have found that resistance training reduces anxiety symptoms across a range of populations, including both healthy adults and those managing chronic illness.

Notably, moderate-intensity strength training appears to deliver the most significant anxiety-relieving effects, particularly among younger adults — a demographic increasingly struggling with mental health pressures in a fast-moving world.

The takeaway, according to experts, is refreshingly simple: movement is medicine, and more of it is almost always better. Whether someone is following a structured training plan or simply committing to staying active throughout the day, every squat, every staircase, and every deliberate step is a small act of investment in both body and mind.

The brain, it turns out, has been rooting for leg day all along.