{"id":12275,"date":"2019-05-06T21:42:44","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T21:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/assistinghands.com\/3\/exercise-and-brain-health\/"},"modified":"2021-02-25T22:23:43","modified_gmt":"2021-02-25T22:23:43","slug":"exercise-and-brain-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assistinghands.com\/3\/exercise-and-brain-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise for a healthy Brain, How Home Care can help"},"content":{"rendered":"
Did you know that only species that move have a brain? The relationship between Brain and movement is incredibly tight. If you want to maintain a healthy mind, you need to move.<\/h6>\n

If we were born to move, why is been so difficult for some people to exercise?<\/h3>\n

A recent poll published in the Translational Journal of the American College<\/a> of Sports Medicine found something interesting for the adult population: The old gym class at the school has something to do. According to the findings, the PE classes offered back in the day turned quite a few people off exercise for life. Years later, the people interviewed recalled yelling teachers, boring routines and calisthenics, uncomfortable comparisons with others, and the humiliation of being picked last when teams were chosen \u2026 to say nothing of embarrassment and bullying in the shower room. For many of us, physical fitness seemed like an unpleasant obligation that we were quick to abandon once a grade didn’t hang over our head.<\/p>\n

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Exercise class at Covenant. (A-J Photo\/Joe Don Buckner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That\u2019s too bad because study after study shows that staying physically active is the top factor when it comes to healthy aging. Exercise strengthens muscles, heart, and lungs. It staves off a host of diseases. Exercise is one of the best things we can do for our brains, as well. For example, you\u2019re probably familiar with those \u201ctip of the tongue\u201d memory lapses where you find yourself saying \u201cWait, wait, don\u2019t tell me!\u201d A 2018 study from the University of Birmingham in the UK found that seniors who exercise regularly struggle much less to find words to express themselves.<\/p>\n

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Use it or you lose it.<\/h3>\n

You go to the gym to stimulate muscle growth, just as you use a brain fitness program to increase Brain connections. The benefits of physical exercise, have positive effects on brain function on multiple fronts, ranging from the molecular to behavioral level.<\/p>\n

So if you want to develop a new relationship with exercise, these 4 topics might help:<\/p>\n

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  1. Getting started may be the hardest part<\/strong>, that is why you need a friend, a partner, or a caregiver who can motivate you and force you to overcome an aversion to exercise. This isn\u2019t just a matter of habit; scientists point out that our ancestors had to work hard for a living\u2014hunting, gathering, planting, and harvesting. They didn\u2019t have calories to spare! So for most of us, there\u2019s an inborn tendency to want to rest. But with regular exercise, our bodies begin to crave the good feeling we get when we move.<\/li>\n
  2. Exercise with a friend, partner, or a caregiver.<\/strong> A 2018 study from the University of British Columbia found that older adults are much more likely to be active if they work out with a buddy\u2014and especially, noted the researchers, if the other person is near their age.<\/li>\n
  3. Small amounts are enough.<\/strong> Studies show that several shorter workouts every day can be just as effective as a more extended session. Anything that gets us moving is good. A recent study from Tufts University called “Small increases in physical activity reduce immobility, disability risks in older adults”<\/em><\/a> . done in a group of seniors aged 70\u201489 who hadn\u2019t been exercising found, \u201cAdding 48 minutes of moderate exercise per week is associated with improvements in overall physical functioning and decreases in risks of immobility in older adults who are sedentary. In another study done by the Department of Exercise Science at the University of Georgia,<\/a> found that even briefly exercising for 20 minutes facilitates information processing and memory functions.<\/li>\n
  4. Enjoying\u201d<\/strong> Walking, gardening, even doing housework provide small doses of exercise that can add up. Tai chi and yoga also offer a surprising amount of strength building and help prevent falls but the best option to enjoy and protect your brain is dancing. Dancing is by far is the greatest risk reduction of mental illness than any activity studied. In one of the famous studies ever, the Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly<\/a> Study done by the New England Journal of Medicine.<\/a> proved how certain activities reduce Cognitive Decline. Take a look at these results from the study.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n