Exercise: the key to a healthier brain!
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy. It encourages proper organ function, boosts your immune system, balances your hormones, and reduces your risk of cancer. But did you know that it can play a huge role in the health and function of your brain? If you’re interested in staying smart and enhance brain function well into your later years, exercise is the way to go!
According to a recent study, people who do regular moderate exercise have younger, healthier brains than people who spend more time engaged in sedentary leisure activities. The study, conducted at the University of Miami, examined over 900 people. Of those studied, nearly 90% fell into a low-intensity exercise category, meaning they didn’t engage in moderate or vigorous activity on a regular basis.
But the 10% who performed higher-intensity exercise on a regular basis had much better brain function than their sedentary counterparts. They were given memory tests, had their critical thinking skills analyzed, and underwent a brain MRI. All of them performed better than the 90% who led less active lives.
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What kind of exercise did they do to improve their brain health? Their activities include racquetball, running, calisthenics, and aerobics–all more active, upbeat types of exercise.
In the past, many studies have linked exercise to healthy brain function. One study found that exercise can help to slow the effects of Alzheimer’s, though it won’t entirely prevent it. In another study, it was discovered that memory can improve with just two years of regular moderate exercise and a healthy diet. In other studies, it was proven that brisk walking could help to enhance brain function.
All this is proof: exercise is good for your brain! As this new study shows, exercising regularly can help to keep your brain from excessive decline. A reduction in cognitive function is normal with age, but moderate exercise can help to slow down this decline. Essentially, it will keep your brain in good working order for longer, staving off the effects of old age.
There was one important caveat to this discovery. People who already showed signs of cognitive decline saw little to no improvement in brain function as a result of exercise. Those with mild impairment and memory loss did not benefit from exercise, at least not in terms of their cognitive function. This means that you need to start exercising NOW, well before your brain starts having trouble. Do that, and you’ll reduce your risk of the cognitive decline that is so common with age.
What type of exercise should you do? The more active the better! High intensity exercise is excellent for weight loss and fat burning, and it can seriously reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders. Resistance training will help to prevent bone density and muscle mass loss, fighting osteoporosis and age-related wasting. Aerobic exercise will keep your cardiovascular system in good working order, reducing your risk of cardiac disorders, strokes, and heart attacks.
Just remember: your exercise needs to be moderate to vigorous! Mild exercise is a good way to get started, but it’s not going to have the same positive benefits as properly active exercise. If you want to improve your health and boost your brain function, it’s time to get moving and working! Mix weight training with cardiovascular/aerobic exercise, and you have a recipe for effective weight loss. Your body will thank you, and so will your brain! It’s the best way to keep both healthy for years to come.
