People who engage in regular aerobic exercise (which means any exercise that increases our heart rate and breathing) tend to encourage better mental function compared to those who do not engage in this type of exercise.
Another benefit for aerobic exercise is less of a decline in memory over time.
Exercise appears to help memory in numerous ways:
Enhancing the ability the brain has to adapt and compensate for age-related decline. For example, physical fitness seems to slow the normal age-related shrinkage of the brain.
Studies have found that physically active older adults have greater brain volumes overall and a lower incidence of white matter disease than those who are less fit.
White matter disease is an umbrella term for damage to your brain's white matter caused by reduced blood flow to the tissue. It can cause issues with memory, balance and mobility.
Stay tuned for more on this, next week!
Your Health Coach,
Christine!