Why walk only 4,000 steps a day is all your brain needs, says science
Make a daily walk to prevent cognitive decline.
The biggest fitness title is not a fashionable exercise machine or an application - it is new ideas on the simple and raw power of Move your body daily. Although we have always known that the exercise is good for your health and your physique, the researchers now discover very surprising health benefits associated with the growth of your movement routine in a moderate way. In particular, research shows that just a short walk can keep your brain healthy and avoid cognitive decline.
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A recent study published in the European Preventive Cardiology Journal shocked the world of health when he announced that making a little less than 4,000 steps a day can improve considerably Heart health and reduce your risk of dying of any cause. For all 1,000 stages exceeded, the risk of subjects to die this year has been reduced by an additional 15%.
Now, a new study published last month in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found another reason to set 4,000 stages as a goal.
The team behind the study, a group of clinical researchers from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PBHC) cerebral health center (PBHC), which is part of the Saint John Providence Health Center, has undertaken to better understand the neuroprotective effects of an activity moderate physics to vigorous. After having analyzed the data of 10,125 healthy participants who have undergone MRI analyzes of the whole body, they determined that various types of exercises, including walking, running or the practice of sport, were associated with better brain health.
The results are based on previous research, which has also linked regular walking to neuroprotective advantages. For example, a study Published in Jama neurology concluded that the march of 9,800 steps every day could halve your risk of dementia.
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However, the new study suggests that taking far fewer measures can still have a significant impact on cognitive health. "We have found that even moderate physical activity levels, such as making less than 4,000 steps a day, can have a positive effect on brain health." David Merrill , Md, phd, a geriatric psychiatrist And the director of PBHC, said via Press release . "It is much less than the 10,000 stages often suggested, making it a more feasible goal for many people."
In fact, after adjusting age, sex and body mass index, the team determined that the increase in their physical activity levels was linked to larger brain volumes in several regions. In particular, they have seen the volume increase in total gray matter, white substance, hippocampus and frontal, parietal and occipital lobes, leading to better memory, improvements in information processing, etc. . AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Merrill says Better life that an increase in volume of the hippocampus could have a particularly significant effect on memory.
"There was a classic study London taxi drivers. As part of becoming a taxi driver, they must memorize thousands and thousands of detailed streets, twists and turns, etc. The advanced volumetric MRI of their brain shows us that they have very large hippocamples compared to control subjects, "he said." Here, we did not intervene, but we were able to look at an extraordinarily large and diversified number of subjects at the same time to draw the observation conclusions on the way in which the levels of exercise are linked to the hippocampal volumes. ""
Merrill says that the conclusions of his team strengthen a notion which "becomes common sense - this exercise helps to prevent or at least slow the progression of memory memory with aging". He adds that people who develop Alzheimer's disease or are at increased risk of developing the disease can get the most.
In practical terms, this offers an easy prescription to anyone hopes to improve his cognitive health as they age: just move more. If you only have 30 to 40 minutes of spare every day, spend this time walking (or running or cycling) could transform your cognitive health and protect against neurodegenerative diseases. The more you move, the more you get to win.
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