Club News & Blog

We all know that aging comes with a varying degree of cognitive decline. As our body gets older, our brain becomes less efficient and it becomes harder to think, plan, remember and concentrate. About 13% of adults between the ages of 75 and 85 years old are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and many more are diagnosed with other types of dementia.

But what if physical activity could improve our cognitive functions? What if some strength training or cardiovascular training could slow down the process of cognitive decline? Or better yet, reverse the process to a certain degree?

Exercise has so many benefits, including better energy, better sleep, better mood, better immunity, reduced stress and so much more. Today is the day to add yet another benefit of exercise: improved cognitive function!

How does it work?

We know that exercising, whether under the form of resistance training or cardiovascular training, improves cardiovascular function throughout our body, including blood flow (thus oxygen flow) to our brain. This leads to better nutrition of the brain tissue, which can thus maintain better functioning. It can even delay (and even reverse) neurodegeneration! And the good news is, it doesn’t have to be hours at the gym lifting heavy weights.

What exercises should you do?

When it comes to exercise, the options are infinite! Any activity that is safe for you will do the trick. It could be strength training with some resistance bands, light weights, a ball, or a chair. It could also be some mild cardiovascular training like taking a walk, gardening, or playing with grandchildren. It is believed that exercise is beneficial with any level of activity, but the benefits are much higher if you exercise at least 150 minutes a week.

Exercise protects against disease

Older individuals are more likely to get sick with viruses and bacterial infections than younger individuals. Chronic health conditions (which include neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease) are also much more frequent in seniors. Exercise can improve immunity by increasing the blood flow throughout the body, which helps flush out bacteria and viruses out of our lungs. Additionally, exercise improves immunity indirectly by improving our sleep and releasing stress and anxiety. A stronger immune system is a key component against neurodegenerative disease.

Exercise improves memory

The hippocampus is a small structure in our brain that controls emotions, memory and learning. As we age, our hippocampus shrinks, leading to a decline of memory and neuronal adaptation (i.e. learning). However, studies have shown that people who exercise regularly have a larger hippocampus. This is explained by the fact that exercise boosts the level of a protein known to promote growth and neuronal connections involved in memory processes. Exercising can thus lead to an increase in the size of our hippocampus and improve our memory.

A cheat sheet to exercise

If you’ve never exercised before, today is the day to start! It is never too late to start your journey to fitness. These few tips will help you get started and keep going!

• Start small. You don’t need to run a marathon on your first day! Take a slightly longer walk than usual, or increase your speed by just a little. Both are great ways to get your heart rate up. If you want to do some strength training, start with minimal weights. Make sure you use the right form, and if you are not familiar with strength training do not hesitate to ask someone for help.
  
  
• Have fun. Find something that is enjoyable for you! Exercise is just like food, we each have our own tastes. You will be much more likely to exercise regularly in the long term if you find something that you like doing.
  
  
• Socialization. Ask some friends if they’d like to join you for a walk or an easy workout! You’ll have a lot more fun if you find a partner to exercise with. Accountability is a great way to stay motivated. Let those friends remind you that it’s time to work out together!
  
  
• Set up realistic goals. There is nothing more rewarding than reaching your goal one step at a time. Find something that is doable for your level - you’ll feel much better about your accomplishment!
  
  
• Diversify. Don’t stick to the same routine, try to switch it up to make it more fun!
  
  
• Last but not least, listen to your body. If it hurts or if it is uncomfortable then it is not for you. Be patient, you will find something that you enjoy if you keep looking for it!

Now it is time for you to exercise! Remember that it will not only keep your body healthy, but it will also keep your brain sharp.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9858649

https://www.acsm.org/blog-detail/acsm-blog/2022/05/20/cognitive-benefits-physical-activity-older-adults

https://eurapa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s11556-021-00272-y#

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7498620/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/exercise-may-lower-alzheimers-risk-by-reducing-inflammation