Forget about appearances—experts agree that exercise’s true power lies in its total-body benefits. These become even more crucial as we age, and a new study suggests staying active may even protect our brains. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that physical activity might play a role in maintaining cognitive health as the years go by.
This study, published in Sport Sciences for Health, tracked 51 older adults. Researchers measured their daily activity using wearable devices and assessed fitness levels with a walking test. Participants also underwent cognitive tests and MRI scans to analyze brain function.
Think of your brain as having different communication networks. These networks constantly send information, but only certain ones should be active at a given time. For example, the network that helps you relax should switch off when focusing on a task. To understand brain function, researchers in this study analyzed how these networks interact within the brain.
When the brain’s communication networks are out of sync, mental tasks like memory and willpower can be affected. Unfortunately, these issues are common as people age.
The study found that people who took more steps and had better walk test scores also had improved cognitive function, which suggests that fitness might protect our brains as we age.
Related: Five Great Reasons to Take a Walk Every Day
This study offers promising news, suggesting that physical activity could boost executive function and independence in older adults. The encouraging part is that even small lifestyle changes like taking the stairs or walking more can potentially make a significant difference.
It’s likely that you already do that and then some. But this study suggests that staying active as you age could do you good.
This doesn’t mean you need to start running marathons or entering a CrossFit competition. Instead, this research suggests that getting more steps and moving around your environment a little bit more can be helpful to your brain health and keep you more independent as you age.
