EXERCISING for at least 45 minutes several times a week can boost brain power in the over-50s, research suggests.
Several types of exercise help improve thinking, attention, memory skills and executive function — mental skills that help people get things done, a new analysis of 39 studies found.
Aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling and jogging; resistance training including weights, multicomponent training like combined aerobic and weight training and tai chi, were all “similarly effective”, experts writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine said.
“Positive benefits to cognition occurred with an exercise intervention that included tai chi, or resistance and aerobic training, prescribed either in isolation or combined,” they said and benefits were irrespective of the current state of an individual’s brain health.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here