Brain Health Improves With Light To Moderate Exercise
One study, reported that even light physical activity such as doing household chores, can help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults.
A more recent study by researchers at the University of Iowa demonstrated that benefits just one workout had positive long-term physical and cognitive benefits. The bottom line is that there is a strong link between physical activity and positive brain function.
Brain Health: Short and Long-Term Benefits
The experiment carried out by UI researchers evaluated both short-term and long-term benefits on brain health.
Participants were given MRI scans measuring brain activity. Thereafter, they took several tests measuring cognitive function and memory.
The next step is to replicate these results by increasing the fitness program out to 6 months from the current 12 weeks. Greater physiological benefits should also translate to greater improvements in memory and cognition.
The bottom line is that it’s very important to stay physically active. And, the best part is that light to moderate exercise is all you need to do. The benefits are cumulative. A healthy mind in a healthy body is an achievable goal. Most certainly, this is something that can help ward off illness as you get into your senior years.