The motivation for people to live healthy lives can include a multitude of reasons: wanting to have the stamina to play with our young children, wanting to avoid decrepitude as we get older, and wanting to look slim and toned in a swimsuit, for example. Regardless of what drives you to work out, new research suggests that exercise can be beneficial in a way that has nothing to do with endurance or appearance: Physical activity may be the key to keeping your brain sharp as you age.
A study published last month in the journal Neurology examined the cognitive function of elderly participants and found that those who made time for fitness had younger, quicker brains than those who did not. “The number of people over the age of 65 in the United States is on the rise, meaning the public health burden of thinking and memory problems will likely grow,” study author Clinton B. Wright said in a press release. The U.S. census bureau projected that by 2033, the U.S. population of people 65 years or older will be greater than the number of people younger than 18 years old in the country. “Our study showed that for older people, getting regular exercise may be protective, helping them keep their cognitive abilities longer,” Wright said.
At the beginning of the study, 876 participants reported their activity level, had a brain MRI exam, and took tests to assess their memory and thinking skills. Ninety percent of the group reported doing light exercise, such as walking and yoga, or no exercise at all. The remaining 10 percent reported doing moderate to high intensity exercise, including running, aerobics, or calisthenics. Approximately seven years after the initial assessment, the participants were given the tests again, and then once more five years after that.
Among the people who began the study with no signs of memory and thinking problems, those who reported low levels of physical activity had a greater decline in their test performance after five years than those who reported high activity levels. They performed worse on assessments of how fast they could perform simple tasks and how many words they could remember from a list. Researchers calculated the difference in brain performance as being equal to 10 years of aging, even when adjusted for factors that could affect brain health, such as smoking, alcohol use, high blood pressure, and body mass index.
Even if you don’t care about six-pack abs, having a sharp wit, a strong memory, and the ability to continue learning – about rapidly changing technology, for instance – might be enough motivation to get your sweat on.
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