We all know by now the importance of exercise for our bodies. The act of being physically fit is very important in living a healthy life. But did you know that it is actually, (and maybe) even more important, for a certain body part that you don’t really think is getting that much of a workout in while you are working out? It is true. Working out is extremely important for the brain too! It was pretty scary to learn what happens to your body when you don’t workout for two weeks. Our brains need regular exercise and the brain benefits of exercise go beyond just disease prevention.
In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease last month and highlighted by Time, Okonkwo evaluated 93 adults who had at least one parent with Alzheimer’s, (at least one gene linked to Alzheimer’s, or both). Not only did Okonkwo find that participants who spent at minimum 68 minutes a day doing moderate physical activity had greater brain volume in areas associated with reasoning and executive function than those who exercised less, but aerobic exercise was hands down the best for brain health. If cardio isn’t your thing, strength training is also beneficial if it increases your heart rate. We recommend a combination of the two.
Being able to quantify the connection between moderate-intensity activity and brain health is an exciting and important step in Alzheimer’s research.
What type of workout did you do today?
