It’s very hard to determine what exactly causes or prevents dementia, but regular exercise seems to be an undeniable force of good for your overall brain health.
Alzheimer’s Society says, after looking at 58 studies, “Research has shown that people who take regular exercise may be up to 20% less likely to develop dementia than those who don’t take regular exercise.”
But what exactly is “regular exercise,” and is there a minimum?
Well according to a paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, it can be as low as two days a week.
How?
First things first ― the NHS advises adults spend at least 150 minutes doing moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes on higher-intensity activity a week.
The study didn’t dispute that, but it said you don’t have to spread it evenly throughout the week to reduce your dementia risk ― it’s better than nothing, they say, if you’re a “weekend warrior” who saves all their workout minutes til your days off.
The researchers looked at over 10,000 people aged 35 and over between 1998 and 2004. Then, they tracked them again between 2015 and 2019.
They found that 14% of people who exercised once or twice a week showed signs of mild dementia, compared with 26% of participants who did no exercise and 18.5% of people who said they were “regularly active”.
A previous study published this year also suggested “weekend warriors” saw better health results over more than 200 metrics than those who considered themselves inactive.
Again, NHS advice is worth following and is easier than you may think ― but it’s proof that even trying to work out is far better than nothing at all.
“Working out” isn’t really my bag
Fair enough ― I should have used better language.
Because while many of us are put off by intimidating thoughts of weights and complicated gym equipment, it turns out that “moderate activity” is pretty approachable.
It includes walking (that you may do at your job or at home), rigorous cleaning, dancing, and pushing a lawnmower.
Carrying heavy shopping bags, pushing a wheelchair or pram, digging in your back garden and even carrying children are “examples of muscle-strengthening activities,” the NHS adds.
Still, while you may not suffer for saving your big run til the weekend, the NHS adds “Adults should do some type of physical activity every day.”
“Exercise just once or twice a week can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.”