Exercise and the Brain: How Daily Movement Boosts Memory and Thinking Skills

A recent study from the American Academy of Neurology explored the connection between exercise and brain health. They found that daily movement may help prevent dementia and improve brain function as you age into your 70s and 80s.

The study had 454 participants age 70 and older, who all took part in yearly memory and thinking tests for 20 years. They also wore activity monitors to track how much they moved during the day. In an interview with NPR, Dr. Aron S. Buchman who lead the study stated that of the 191 participants who showed signs of Alzheimer’s at the beginning of the study, 30% showed normal brain health at the end.

There is still a lot we don’t know about cognitive decline and how to stop it. Keeping our brains healthy through physical activity is a great place to start.

According to Dr. Buchman, physical activity masks the symptoms of developing Alzheimer’s and this new research suggests you can have some control over your brain health even if you don’t have control over developing Alzheimer’s. Several other doctors who weren’t involved in the study were impressed by the findings.

“It’s almost as if the physical activity was helping the brain to bypass the physical damage,” says Dr. Tim Church, a preventive medicine specialist with Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University.

What is the best kind of daily movement for brain health?

The best kind of daily movement is always going to be the one you’ll actually do. Dr. Buchman stated that even activities such as chopping vegetables, typing on a computer, or cleaning the house can help to reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Whatever you choose to do to add movement to your day, it should be easy enough to stick with while motivating you to push towards progress.

Check out our post on 10 ways you can sneak a few minutes of daily exercise into your routine for some ideas to get you moving more throughout the day.

Teeter offers a range of feel good fitness equipment to suit every lifestyle and fitness level.

If you’re looking for feel-good, zero impact home exercise that keeps you motivated, the FreeStep may be for you. The FreeStep Recumbent Cross Trainer is an ideal solution for active aging because it takes all the pressure off the knees, joints, and back while combining cardio and resistance training into one convenient piece of home equipment. Many exercisers are turning to the FreeStep to help fight back against arthritis, MS, knee replacements, joint conditions, and heart conditions.

In a recent study, 97% of participants said the FreeStep delivers gentle, low-impact exercise for the knees and back. 93% said the FreeStep delivers less stress on the knees and back than other cardio options.

Want to build your body up without wearing it down? The Teeter Power10 Elliptical Rower reimagines a traditional rowing machine to deliver total body, low impact cardio and strength. From high intensity interval training to steady‑state and everything in between, the patented smooth elliptical movement and ergonomic design of the Power10 delivers a lower impact workout compared to other cardio machines. Plus, you can push yourself further and harder with less muscle fatigue by changing up exertion and alternating muscle groups. It’s the perfect workout if you want to push yourself to new heights without sacrifice.