Individuals who exercise lose weight, but this serves as only one of the benefits. Their mood improves, they find it easier to focus, and they have more energy. However, it does more than this. Researchers now know exercise helps keep the brain sharp while reducing the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
They also found exercise benefits mental health in a variety of ways. Physical activity offers benefits that last a lifetime, ones that protect not only the body but the brain. For this reason, men and women should be encouraged to exercise, even when they are ill with cancer and other diseases. Consider independent living near me to remain active in your senior years and stay healthier as a result.
Delay Disease
Alzheimer’s disease serves as the sixth leading cause of death in adult Americans today, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Today, almost six million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, making it the most common form of dementia. This disease affects the brain and leads to memory loss and various forms of brain malfunctions. Symptoms typically appear after a person turns 60, and the risk increases as the person grow older. This problem doesn’t just impact Americans. 50 million individuals across the globe suffer from some type of dementia, the World Health Organization reports.
A study conducted in Sweden found that women with better cardiovascular health lower their risk of dementia by 88 percent. Neurology, a medical journal published the study. The Alzheimer’s Association and scientists from the University of Southern California agree that up to a third of all reported Alzheimer’s cases could be prevented with lifestyle changes, including exercise.
How Much Exercise is Necessary to Prevent Alzheimer’s?
People want to know how much exercise they need to lower their risk of dementia. The World Health Organization says men and women over the age of 65 need either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise. A combination of moderate and vigorous exercise together with strength training is another option.
Strength training also offers benefits for a person. This training improves a person’s mood, gives them a better night’s rest, and boosts their cognitive health. Any exercise increases blood flow to the brain, and seniors benefit from exercises that require mental focus. This includes boxing and dancing, which require them to learn and repeat certain steps.
You can witness the benefits in only one session. The adult brain remains malleable and can be rewired and reshaped. Just as the body can become more fit, the brain can too.
How Exercise Helps the Brain
Exercise affects the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, the areas that oversee memory and learning. While exercise won’t cure dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it does anatomically strengthen those areas of the brain. In terms of mental effects, people notice their memory and attention improve, and their mood lifts.
The Fitness Industry
Certain fitness centers today are working to bring cognitive and physical fitness together in the same workout. Fitness industry insiders believe the benefits have something to do with the evolution of humans. When humans moved to the hunter-gatherer stage, their brains adapted to the different challenges they faced with a nomad lifestyle. People had to make decisions while on the move, and the body and brain became linked. According to these insiders, that’s why exercise and brain health are closely linked.
Every person needs to get regular exercise, even those who are elderly or ill. Physical activity benefits all areas of a person’s life. If you don’t exercise regularly, now is the time to start. Doing so ensures you enjoy your senior years as much as you did your younger ones.
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