We work out to protect our bodies, but there is also evidence that getting your sweat on keeps your mind limber as you age. \u201cIt\u2019s well established that exercise is beneficial for the brain,\u201d says Dr Paulina Kloskowska, a physiotherapist at Marylebone Health Group. This is how to work out your mind and your body.<\/p>\n
1. Run a marathon to boost your memory<\/p>\n
Kloskowska points to a 2021 study of 22 endurance runners and 20 non-runners that used MRI imaging to assess the brains of both groups. The study found that endurance running was associated with greater grey matter volume in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain involved in memory and learning. \u201cThese findings suggest that endurance activities could be a potential way to improve your brain function and support cognitive health,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u2022 High cholesterol linked to dementia for the first time<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n 2. Stand on one leg for spatial awareness<\/p>\n Spatial awareness is the ability to understand the relationship between our movements and the objects around us (ie to walk past a table without banging into it). It can decline with age but a study in the journal Scientific Reports found that those who completed 50 minutes of balance training over 12 weeks \u201csaw significant improvements in their memory and spatial cognition\u201d. This was versus a control group that spent the time relaxing. <\/p>\n In the gym, incorporate a Bosu ball \u2014 a halved exercise ball with a flat base \u2014 into your workouts. Balancing on it while you perform moves such as forward lunges or squats will mean your body has to work harder to remain upright. At home, try standing on one leg for one minute. Too easy? \u201cSee if you can do it with your eyes closed,\u201d says Harry Cox, the founder of ClubQ health club.<\/p>\n