There is no cure for dementia, a disease that affects more than six million individuals in the United States alone. However, there are various treatments available that can help manage and reduce symptoms. Yet, these treatments are often expensive and present side effects. Therefore, finding ways to prevent the onset of dementia and brain aging in general is crucial to our long-term mental health. Many researchers suggest that an easy-to-follow weekly exercise regimen could help reduce your dementia risk and slow brain aging. Conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the researchers examined various animal and human studies in the hopes of better understanding the impact of physical health on the brain. They focused on key factors such as blood flow, inflammation, and brain plasticity, which are considered critical to neurodegenerative disease development.
How Exercise Can Slow Brain Aging
At the moment, health practitioners recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. However, the researchers found that even minimal exercise can help slow brain aging. Hopefully, this fact will encourage more people to start exercising regularly. Many feel that those in the medical field need to spread more awareness about the benefits of exercise in brain health. The study’s co-author, Professor Ulrik Wisløff, stated that, “We believe it’s time for health authorities to provide clearer advice on how important exercise is for the brain. Our review shows that even small doses of high-intensity activity – equivalent to brisk walking where you can’t sing – can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 40%.”
While the current exercise recommendations focus on total weekly activity, health authorities need to do more to convey the benefits of short, high-intensity exercise sessions. Unlike medications that are produced to manage symptoms of cognitive decline, exercise is inexpensive, has no bad side effects, and is accessible to most able-bodied individuals. Considering that Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths per year, finding safe and natural ways to prevent its onset is crucial to public health. Thankfully, almost half of all dementia cases could be prevented by simply making a few lifestyle changes.
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