We all know that exercise keeps the body strong with age but do you know it also supports cognitive function and is associated with a lower risk of dementia?
Research from both laboratory and real-word settings shows that people who are more physically active, whether through structured workouts or daily movement, perform better on cognitive tests shortly after exercising.
But one question that researchers have been searching for so long is how long these cognitive balance last, particularly in older adults?
The research published The Conversation under a Creative Commons license found that those who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity like jogging or cycling performed better on memory tests the next day.
The study included 76 participants aged 50-83, who wore wrist activity trackers for eight days and nights while continuing their daily routines.
With these trackers, researchers measured how much time they spent being inactive or physically active each day and the intensity of their activity.
The study found that along with the exercise, getting more sleep, especially slow-wave sleep was linked to better memory scores, regardless of physical activity.
Beside the long-term cognitive benefits of physical activity, exercise also provides a short-term boost to brain function that lasts from minutes to hours.
The study suggests that this boost may continue for up to 24 hours after exercise.
Since some cognitive abilities decline with age, even small improvements can help individuals stay active for longer.
