It’s no secret that an active lifestyle and regular physical exercise are crucial to maintain a fit and healthy body; however, research is revealing that an in-shape body is not the only advantage that daily physical training has to provide. It has numerous far-reaching advantages, including the reduced probability of developing conditions like Dementia and slower acceleration of cognitive decline in the elderly.
A recent study found that physically inactive individuals are twice as vulnerable to suffering from cognitive decline than those who regularly spare some time for a little exercise.
Although more research is required to explain the connection, researchers have established certain theories that may explain the impact of physical activity on brain health. The two most famous among them include:
- The formation of tangles and plagues related to Alzeihmer’s are stopped by physical activity.
- Cognitive resilience, the brain’s ability to perform despite the brain damage that tags along the disease, might be stimulated by it.
Let’s better understand the benefits of exercise for the brain.
How the brain benefits from exercise
Although daily physical activity is not a proven cure for dementia, in some cases, with its help, cognitive decline could be staved off for a significant amount of time and help the brain function better.
There are a ton number of ways in which regular exercise may benefit the brain, resulting in better memory and optimal functionality:
- Improving blood flow to the brain.
- Lowering levels of stress hormones.
- Reducing Inflammation.
Exercise can also help to strengthen your brain physically. It might help thicken the brain’s cerebral cortex, ultimately improving the integrity of its white matter (nerve tissues responsible for conducting, processing, and sending nerve signals throughout the spinal cord). It also promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form fresh neural connections– or simply, the brain’s ability to learn throughout life.
How much exercise do you need for your brain health?
Here, it’s crucial to put an emphasis on cardio exercises. This includes activities like walking, dancing, swimming, and riding. The best brain workouts are those that increase heart rate.
Despite their age, most individuals should aim to engage in 15 minutes of strenuous activity three times per week as their primary form of physical activity. Aiming for 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week is advised to obtain similar brain-boosting effects if the person you are caring for is unable to engage in high-intensity exercise due to a medical condition or other circumstances.
Age is also a factor here. If your client or the loved one with dementia is above 65, balanced, moderate activities three times a week are more than enough to help them sustain a healthy body and mind.
How can you determine how intense the workout was?
While exercising at moderate levels, the body should be stretched to the point where chatting is possible, but singing isn’t. When we talk about high-intensity effort, we mean the point at which an individual is straining himself to the extent that he can only speak briefly before pausing to catch his breath.
How to increase physical activity?
Whenever we think of exercise, the first thing that comes to our mind is going to the gym. However, for the elderly, it might not be very convenient to pay a daily visit to a fitness center, especially for an individual with a memory loss condition.
A gym might be a very efficient way to increase physical activity, but it’s not the only one. Various other activities can be included in the schedule of the person you are taking care of to introduce them to physical fitness.
Any additional exercise you can get, no matter how small, can be helpful. In a recent medical showcase, researchers concluded that larger total brain volume was connected with each hour of light-intensity physical exercise and completing 7,500 steps or more per day, even among individuals who did not exceed the recommended activity levels.
Let’s check out some of those methods:
Turn the speaker and dance
Dancing to your favorite tune is fun and adequate physical activity. Despite their age, humans love good music and automatically start grooving when the sound of pleasant music falls into their ears. It’s a great way to motivate your client to move their body without stressing them too much.
A high-intensity workout might not be practical for an aged person, but light twisting and turning can easily be executed by them. Also, it won’t be frustrating for someone with a memory loss condition.
Take active breaks
Encourage the person you are a caregiver for to break their sedentary time with some sort of physical exercise. For instance, ask them to walk or squat during the Ad breaks between their favorite shows while watching television.
Introduce physical activity to their daily routine
When you take your client out for shopping etc., park at the back of the shopping place and motivate them to walk to the store. While inside, trick them into taking more steps than they actually require to get their hands on the items they want. Additionally, encourage them to use stairs instead of elevators.
Walk the dog
If the person you are taking care of owns a furry companion, just taking them out for a walk can significantly improve their physical activity. A study noted that an average dog owner tends to walk around 22 minutes more daily than individuals who don’t have a dog. While with a dog, your client will automatically be motivated to walk a little further just to spend some more time with his pet.
Enhancing Brain Health for Seniors: The Crucial Role of Physical Exercise
There is no denying the significance of regular exercise in supporting elderly citizens’ cognitive health. It is clear from a large body of research that regular exercise favors mood improvement, memory retention, and cognitive performance.
Seniors can maintain and enhance their brain health by participating in various physical activities, such as aerobic workouts, swimming, and balancing drills, lowering the risk of cognitive decline and age-related neurological illnesses.
Exercise also encourages social connection, which further enhances mental health. Exercise programs adapted to each person’s needs must be implemented to help seniors spend happy, independent lives while maintaining their cognitive function.
