Exercising Twice a Week Can Dramatically Boost Memory, Thinking Skills (Study)

woman running in the sunset with two boys on their bikes

According to a new study, exercising twice a week might help improve our cognitive skills.

(Mirror Daily, United States) – According to the most recent set of guidelines released by the American Academy of Neurology, exercising twice a week can visibly improve memory and thinking skills even in older people.

Researchers found exercising showed promising results in people affected by mild cognitive impairment.

In the United States, around 2.4 million people have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition which affects people’s memory and ability to recall simple things like the place where they left their phone or an appointment to a doctor.

MCI tends to get worse as people age. According to the new guidelines, the condition affects 6.7 percent of the population in the 60-64 age bracket, 8.4 percent of those in the 65-69 age range, and more than 10 percent of those aged 70 or older. Researchers expect MCI to impair 5.7 million Americans by 2060.

Exercising Twice a Week a Powerful Prevention Tool

Patients living with MCI can perform simple daily tasks, but they tend to have a hard time in recalling things. MCI is often a telltale sign of Alzheimer’s disease, but that doesn’t mean that if a person has the condition, he or she will automatically develop dementia.

Yet, since dementia has no cure, doctors tend to focus more on prevention. And exercising seems a powerful prevention tool.

A report that appeared this week in Neurology shows that people affected by MCI who work out twice a week had general health benefits and showed improvements in their memory and cognitive skills.

The latest analysis has its limitations as participants were tracked just six months, and more studies are needed to confirm the findings. As it is, the revelations are promising since there is no medication or superfood for better brain health in people already affected by MCI.

Image Source: MaxPixel

Bio
Latest Posts

John Birks

John holds a diploma in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He covers the technology, social media, green business, eco-travel, politics, arts culture.