How Exercising Over 50 Can Help Your Brain
There are many benefits of exercise universally acknowledged by healthcare providers. Most associate exercise with weight maintenance and muscle toning, and for good reason.
But exercising regularly can be important for your health in other ways, too. Exercise can help reduce chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, while also improving your mental health. Did know that exercising regularly can also help your brain?
This is especially relevant as you age, as it could help prevent illnesses associated with reduced cognitive ability, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Exercise and its Effects on the Aging Brain
A recent review analyzed the results of nearly 100 trials that engaged over 11,000 participants. The study looked at a range of different types of exercise, including yoga, walking, weightlifting, and running. It also analyzed the duration of those exercise plans.
The researchers were attempting to determine how much physical activity is necessary to help prevent the decline in cognitive abilities that is associated with aging.
They found that almost any type of exercise —from aerobics like cycling or walking, to mind-body exercises such as tai chi or yoga—can improve cognitive performance. The research also found that exercising for at least 52 hours over a six month period was associated with the greatest improvements.
The author of this study also stipulated that exercise recommendations should ideally be specific and personalized, just as prescription medications are.
Today, scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what mechanisms in the brain exercise influences to improve cognitive function. Some researchers believe that exercise actually improves cognitive function indirectly by improving heart and artery health.
It’s important to note that cognitive improvement won’t happen overnight. It appears that consistent exercise over several months is needed to benefit the brain the most. Other studies suggest that up to five days a week of exercise is necessary to help your arteries function without stiffening. This is particularly important for people over 50 — as you age, you arteries are more prone to stiffening.
Exercise Keeps Your Heart Young
In addition to keeping your brain sharp, regular exercise can also help ward off heart disease by keeping the muscle—and the arteries that feed it—young.
A study published in The Journal of Physiology reviewed the patterns of exercise for participants throughout their lives. They then measured the stiffness of participants’ arteries.
People who exercised two to three times weekly throughout their lifetimes had mid-sized arteries that were more “youthful,” rather than stiff. Arteries such as the ones that lead to the neck and head didn’t show as much of the stiffening that ultimately leads to blockage.
People who exercised four to five times weekly had healthier arteries which supply the abdomen and chest, in addition to the neck and head.
Even moderate exercise in the form of gentle swimming and yoga can provide benefits that help reduce the effects of aging. For older adults, these types of gentle exercise can be a fantastic way to keep your mind sharp. So what are you waiting for? Get moving! Call ahead or schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional if you experience joint stiffness or muscle pain.