MOVE ON –
Nov. 29, 2024 – The maxim “movement is medicine” exists for a reason. When done safely and properly, physical activity can boost your mood, bone health and more. While the connection between exercise and, say, muscle development is apparent, some of its benefits are less obvious. One of these relates to brain health.
The study included 204 people between the ages of 40 and 65. For a week, they checked in with researchers six times a day, or about every 3.5 hours. During these check-ins, participants reported their recent physical activity and completed short cognitive assessments that measured their cognitive-processing speed and so-called working memory, the brain’s short-term storage.
What makes this study interesting, though, is that participants didn’t just report structured fitness activities like cycling, jogging and tennis; they also tracked everyday movements like playing with their kids or going for walks. Physical activity was rated as light, moderate or vigorous.
