These exercises reduce negative effects if you are sitting all day 1:44
(CNN) --
Even if you've never been physically active, you can get moving now and see the benefits of exercising throughout your life.
According to a new study, any amount of physical activity at any age is helpful for long-term cognitive health.
Researchers already knew that people who participate in leisure-time physical activity have a lower risk of dementia and higher cognitive function later in life than those who are inactive, said study author Dr. Sarah-Naomi. James, a researcher at the MRC Health and Aging Unit at University College London.
What the researchers didn't know was whether there was a specific time in life when a person needed to become active or whether there was an activity threshold they needed to reach to see those benefits, James said.
The study, published Tuesday in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, tracked the physical activity patterns of nearly 1,500 people over the course of 30 years into adulthood.
At age 69, the participants' cognitive status, verbal memory and processing speed were tested, according to the study.
advertising
Spending a lot of time sitting is bad for your health, but it's easy to counteract its effects, according to a study
Physical inactivity could kill you, according to the WHO 1:49
While lifetime physical activity was associated with better cognitive outcomes later in life, being active at any time and to any extent was associated with higher cognition, the study found.
Even people who became active in their 50s or 60s achieved better cognitive scores when they reached their 70s, James said.
A surprisingly small amount of activity, just once a month, at any time during adulthood was helpful, he added.
"It seems clear from this study and others that small doses of exercise throughout life and starting young are very beneficial for long-term health," said Dr. William Roberts, professor of family medicine and community health. at the University of Minnesota Medical.
School, via email.
Roberts was not involved in the investigation.
On a societal level, the findings show the need for greater access to education that fosters skills and motivation for physical activity at any age, according to the study.
How to Avoid the Most Common Exercise Injuries, According to Experts
How can you reduce your risk of dementia?
0:45
So you can stay active
For people who have been regularly active, the results should be encouraging and suggest that your physical activity can pay off, Roberts said.
“For people who have never been physically active or have gone through a period of inactivity, get started!” James said in an email.
If you're not exactly an athlete who loves to sweat it out, there are still ways to fit some activity into your life.
To develop a habit that sticks, it's important to set a goal, make a specific plan, find a way to make it fun, be flexible and get social support, said behavioral scientist Katy Milkman, author of "How to Change: The Science of go from where you are to where you want to be”, in a 2021 interview with CNN.
Milkman is the James G. Dinan Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
You can start slowly, said Dana Santas, a CNN fitness contributor and mind-body coach for professional athletes.
“Getting 10 minutes of exercise every day is much easier than people think.
Consider how quickly 10 minutes go by when you're mindlessly browsing social media or watching your favorite TV show," Santas told CNN in a 2022 interview. "It's not a big investment, but it can bring big health benefits." .
Yoga is a great way to be active while relieving stress, and it's easily accessible to everyone via the Internet, he said.
Walking outside or on a treadmill is one of the easiest ways to get consistent exercise, Santas said.
"Walking is the most underrated, corrective, mind-body, fat-burning exercise available to humans," he added.
"I walk everyday".
Regular walks can be a great opportunity to multitask, if you use them to bond with family, friends and neighbors, Santas added.
If you want to increase the intensity of your walk, Santas recommends adding harder intervals, weights, or a heavy backpack.
"Walking for five minutes every hour is very helpful," Evan Matthews, an associate professor of exercise science and physical education at Montclair State University of New Jersey, told CNN in 2021.
“It doesn't even need to be moderate intensity.
Just move."
Physical Activity Mental Health