25 February 2023 , 10:00
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Mention an exercise routine and many of us groan - but what if you went for a jog just once a month and the benefits to your health were immeasurable?
According to a team at University College London, when it comes to staving off dementia, it isn't necessarily the amount of physical activity you do but rather how regularly you do it.
They examined the benefits of exercise on brain ageing and memory, discovering that going for a jog as infrequently as once a month can help ward off dementia - providing you stick to it.
The long-term study, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, followed people from their 30s up to their 60s and found that those who did activities such as jogging, yoga or swimming were a lot sharper in old age.
The team wanted to know if physical activity might be most beneficial in specific 'sensitive' periods during the course of someone’s life, reports StudyFinds.
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More than 1,400 British men and women took part in the study, which examined the correlation between a series of cognitive tests at age 69 and that person’s reported leisure time activity at the ages of 36, 43, 53, 60 to 64, and 69.
The team categorised physical activity levels as 'inactive', 'moderately active' (one to four times a month) and 'most active' (five or more times per month). The five assessments were then totted up to create a total score ranging from zero (inactive at all ages) to five (active at all ages).
Results showed one in nine participants (11 per cent) were physically inactive at all five time-points in their lives, 17 per cent were active during one time period, 20 per cent were active during two or three, 17 per cent were active during four age periods, and an impressive 15 per cent were still active throughout them all.
There are many things we can do to keep dementia at bay. (Getty Images)Cognitive test at 69
Next, the team assessed cognitive performance at age 69 using a test that investigates attention and orientation, memory, verbal fluency and language.
They also tested verbal memory — using a word learning test — and processing speed.
The team were sure to factor in associations with a heightened risk of cognitive decline, including cardiovascular and mental health and carrying the APOE-ε4 gene - the strongest risk factor gene for Alzheimer's disease.
In conclusion, it was found that being physically active at all five time-points meant higher cognitive performance, verbal memory, and processing speed at the age of 69.
The team found the effect to be similar across all adult ages, and for those who are moderately and most physically active, 'suggesting that being physically active at any time in adulthood, even if participating as little as once per month, is linked with higher cognition'.
The study authors note this was an observational study and, as such, can’t establish a definitive cause for this connection.
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Why can running help combat dementia?
Running triggers the release of certain chemicals in the brain, such as feel-good endorphins and serotonin, which help to improve mood, reduce stress, and boost memory.
As well as this, running builds connections in your brain and increases its blood flow, helping to keep it healthy.
According to life coach and nutritionist Dr Vicky Lauren, writing for RunSociety, there are numerous ways running and other form of vigorous exercises can help protect against developing dementia.
- It improves cognitive skills and decision-making
- Boosts activity of nerve cells in the brain
- Increases grey matter volume, where dementia effects originate
- Reduces stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to dementia
- Lowers risk of stroke, which can cause dementia
- Improves overall physical health, reducing dementia symptoms.
Dementia describes a cluster of symptoms associated with ongoing cognitive decline. (Getty Images/Image Source)Five golden rules to cut dementia risk
Keeping physically and mentally active, and getting enough sleep are among five ways to reduce the risk of developing dementia by a fifth, says a top professor.
Quitting smoking, losing weight and getting more social interaction can also help to stave off the life-altering syndrome.
While genetic factors are out of our control, renowned researcher, Prof Sir Muir Gray, says we can still help ourselves.
He said: “Dementia is a terrifying prospect, but we can all reduce our risk and should act now;"
1. Keep mind and body active: avoid sitting still and take regular exercise such as walking; keep mentally fit by reading and learning something new.
2. Keep weight, blood sugar and blood pressure down: eat a diet packed with fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and pulses.
3. Stop smoking: singly the greatest way to damage your health.
4. Sleep better and learn to relax and reduce stress: you don’t need less sleep as you grow older, but more.
5. Engage with others: become a volunteer and join online social groups.