People often stereotype athletic, fit people to be missing a bit in the brain department. But did you know that doing exercise can actually help to make you smarter? The Academy of Neurology recently published a study stating that adults who had higher levels of cardiovascular fitness were better able to perform on cognitive tests later in their lives.

Another study published in 2013 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research discovered that agility training helped to improve the recall and attention abilities of military personnel. With just 6 weeks of this specialized cardio training, military personnel were better able to remember details and had a better attention to detail than counterparts who had not undergone the training.

Researchers at the University of Montreal conducted a study examining the effects of cardiovascular exercise on the human brain, the results of which were published in Neurobiology of Aging.

First off, 85 patients were gathered: 31 of whom were younger adults, and the rest (54) were all older adults. The participants were put through an exercise regimen, and they worked until they were exhausted (muscle fatigue and cardiovascular exhaustion).

After this, the participants were subjected to an MRI scan over the course of the next month. The participants' brains were scanned as they performed the Stroop test, a cognitive exam involving a series of brain tasks. Not only were MRIs taken, but the arteries of the brain were also examined by the researchers.

The discoveries were pretty epic: the healthier you are, the faster your brain works!

Older adults tended to have slower test times than their younger counterparts, and their overall fitness was lower than the younger adults. Among the older crowd, those who performed best were those with the best cardiovascular fitness. Their arteries were less stiff than those with lower fitness levels, and thus their brains were better able to function on these cognitive tests.

Clearly there is a correlation between a decline in fitness and a decline in mental health, as is seen in so many cases. Many of the senior citizens suffering from brain health issues lead very sedentary lives, while those who are active well into their later years tend to have far fewer health problems overall -- not to mention fewer brain health problems.

The truth is that the body begins to decline once you turn 25, but the decline only becomes noticeable in your thirties and forties. If you aren't taking care of your body, the decline won't just be in your overall fitness and muscular conditioning, but you may begin to see signs of decline in your brain as well.

Doing regular cardiovascular exercise isn't just heart-smart and way to fight obesity, but according to these studies, it will do wonders for your cognitive function as well. Make it a point to get a few hours of cardiovascular exercise each week, and you may find that your brain continues to work like a scientist well into your advanced years!