How to remove 5 years of brain aging with this simple hack
Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Imagine if you could turn back the clock on your brain by simply investing one hour a week in aerobic workouts.
Sounds like a dream, right?
Well, research has found that short aerobic workouts can provide an immense boost to your memory and thinking skills, effectively removing 5 years of brain aging.
Aerobic Workouts: The Fountain of Youth for Your Brain
A study published in the journal Neurology demonstrated that even short workouts done three times a week can significantly roll back the clock on memory and cognitive functions. Just how does this work? Aerobic exercise helps pump more blood to the parts of the brain that are vital for these functions.
Dr. Marc J. Poulin, the study’s first author, elaborated on these findings, stating:
“As we all find out eventually, we lose a bit mentally and physically as we age. But even if you start an exercise program later in life, the benefit to your brain may be immense. Sure, aerobic exercise gets blood moving through your body. As our study found, it may also get blood moving to your brain, particularly in areas responsible for verbal fluency and executive functions.”
How The Study Was Conducted
The study included 206 adults, averaging 66 years old, who had previously done little exercise. These participants began doing aerobic workouts for 20 to 40 minutes per day, three times a week. After six months, they performed 6% better on thinking skills and improved their verbal fluency by 2.4%.
Dr. Poulin noted:
“This change in verbal fluency is what you’d expect to see in someone five years younger.”
Moreover, blood flow to the brain increased by 2.8%. Dr. Poulin added:
“Our study showed that six months’ worth of vigorous exercise may pump blood to regions of the brain that specifically improve your verbal skills as well as memory and mental sharpness. At a time when these results would be expected to be decreasing due to normal aging, to have these types of increases is exciting.”
What Are the Implications?
So, what does this mean for you? Incorporating regular aerobic exercise into your routine could be key if you're looking to maintain or even improve your cognitive functions as you age. Whether you're at risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias or simply want to keep your brain sharp, this research suggests that it's never too late to start reaping the benefits of physical activity.
Key Questions to Consider:
How can you incorporate aerobic workouts into your busy schedule?
What types of aerobic exercises do you enjoy that could keep you motivated?
How might regular exercise impact other aspects of your health and well-being?
Think of it this way: If your brain could thank you for each workout, it might say, “Thanks for the extra blood flow! I feel five years younger already!” So, why not give your brain a gift that keeps on giving?
Final thoughts
investing just one hour a week in aerobic workouts can yield significant benefits for your brain, potentially reversing five years of aging.
As Dr. Poulin’s research highlights, the brain is remarkably responsive to exercise, particularly in areas responsible for verbal fluency and executive functions. So, lace up those sneakers, get your blood pumping, and give your brain the boost it deserves!
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed
References:
Guadagni, V., Burles, F., Ferris, P., & Poulin, M. J. (2020). Aerobic exercise improves cognition and alters brain function in older adults at risk of cognitive decline: A randomized controlled trial. Neurology.
