‘One of the best exercises for your brain is physical exercise?’
There is strong evidence that regular physical activity is associated with better brain function, reduced mental illness, and reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia
Effects of physical inactivity
- reduced blood flow – high cholesterol, plaques in arteries
- reduced cognitive function – difficulty thinking, remembering and focussing
- low mood – potential for mental illness
- increased weight – which impacts heart health
- increased risk of chronic disease!
How does moving benefit our brains?
- Physical activity stimulates production of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BNDF) which promotes neural health and survival. It is like brain fertiliser.
- Physical activity increases muscle mass and prevents muscle loss with ageing (sarcopenia). New research shows that low muscle mass is associated with faster cognitive decline.
- Physical activity improves heart health which improves brain health. You are at less risk of stroke or dementia if your heart is healthy.
- Exercise is associated with lower inflammatory markers in your blood, which can lead to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Exercise improves our sleep quality which improves our cognition and reduces the risk of dementia.
- Exercise improves mental health. Regular exercise has been found to be as effective as antidepressant medication for people with mild-moderate depression
- Physical activity enhances thinking, learning, decision making, problem solving and judgment skills.
Types of Movement
Aerobic exercise is when you get your heart moving and your blood flowing. You might get a bit of a sweat up, puff a little, get a bit of a red face and feel warm. Activities that get your heart rate up may include brisk walking, running, skiing, swimming, dancing, biking, tennis, etc
Strength, or resistance training, is using weights or your body, to build and preserve muscle, and has been found in research to be essential for healthy ageing and reducing cognitive decline. It reduces bone loss, maintains muscle, increases balance and also reduces the risk of falling. Leg strength particularly has been correlated with better cognitive function. You don’t necessarily need to go to the gym to do strength training. You can find exercises online and do at home such as squats, lunges, planks, etc.
Stretch and flexibility activities are also very beneficial to help improve balance, reduce risk of falls and to improve cognitive function. Activities such as yoga, pilates and tai chi are excellent ways to achieve this and at the same time can help with mindfulness and breathing.
Finally, consider moving anytime during your day, instead of not moving. Choose to take the stairs instead of the lift, walk instead of drive, stand at your desk rather than sit, dance when you favourite song is played, and think of cleaning or gardening as ways to increase your physical activity rather than as chores
How much movement?
The New Zealand Physical Activity Guidelines are as follows:
- be as physically active as possible and limit sedentary behaviour
- consult an appropriate health practitioner before starting or increasing physical activity
- start off slowly and build up to the recommended daily physical activity levels
- aim to do aerobic activity on 5 days per week for at least 30 minutes if the activity is of moderate intensity; or for 15 minutes if it is of vigorous intensity; or a mixture of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity
- aim to do 3 sessions of flexibility and balance activities, and 2 sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week.
These are guidelines only and how much movement will depends on your needs. Specifically if you have any injuries or illness, ensure you consult with your specialist or doctor first and determine how much movement will work for you.
Move for Dementia
September is World Alzheimer’s Month where people unite from all corners of the world to raise awareness and to challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia. As part of this Alzheimer’s New Zealand are asking everyone to Move for Dementia this September, and fundraise to support kiwis living with dementia.
Sit less, move more
Whatever your age, challenge yourself to move more, and you will be one step ahead towards improving your brain health, and reducing your risk of chronic disease. Start small, set goals each week that are do-able and celebrate your successes. If you need help to move more, the ‘my healthy lifestyle’ 12 week health coaching programme with me may be just what you need. I help people to find what what drives them to move, what movement they like to do and how they can do it. They create a vision of themselves moving in the future, and identify what this allows them to achieve. We set movement goals and review these each week and over 3 months I see incredible changes that are worth celebrating. Even if my clients didn’t set goals to sleep better, or lose weight, or be more focused and productive, surprisingly these are the added bonuses that happen when they move more.
Go on, take your first step to move more. Be in touch if you’d like help.