These 3 Exercises May Improve Brain Health as You Age, According to New Research

Want to keep your brain as healthy as possible as you age? Aerobic exercise may be the key.

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Reviewed by registered dietitian Jessica Ball, MS, RD

The harsh truth is that we are all bound to experience some degree of cognitive decline as we age. In fact, most people tend to feel the effects of aging on brain health as early as thirty years of age, whether they are symptoms such as forgetfulness and mental failures or more subtle signs such as changes in personality. What’s the upside, you ask? Well, there are still plenty of options for staying as healthy as possible as we age.

Related: 5 Habits to Add to Your Day to Prevent Cognitive Decline

Much research points to exercise as an effective way to help maintain healthy brain and cognition. From stress-relieving activities to resistance training, physical movement may seem like it only works specific muscle groups, but it can also have a surprising amount of brain health benefits. A new international study suggests that an effective and comprehensive method for improving cognitive performance may be aerobic exercise alone.

What this study on cognition found

When 25 healthy golfers over the age of 65 participated in golf, walking or Nordic walking, cognitive functions such as processing speed and working memory improved, according to an October 2023 study published in BMJ Open Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Edinburgh and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zrich instructed participants to each perform three different sessions of individualized aerobic exercise:

The numbers show that in each case, whether golf, walking or Nordic walking, participants showed improvements in cognitive functions such as visual and information processing. After Nordic walking, scores for certain aspects of brain function, such as task switching, were especially high compared to the other groups. This may be because Nordic walking imposes greater cognitive demands compared to regular walking, according to the publication. However, the overall results were about the same across the three exercises, and more research is needed on a larger, more diverse group of participants to draw conclusions about the link between exercise and brain performance.

This research adds to the evidence that any form of exercise, including low-impact activities like walking and golf, may be better than no exercise. Sports and Exercise Medicine doctoral researcher Julia Kettinen says: These findings highlight the value of age-appropriate aerobic exercise, such as golf, Nordic walking and regular walking, in maintaining and improving cognitive function among older adults. Previous research has shown that exercise also holds promise as a potential strategy for those suffering from cognitive decline.

The end result

This study found that three aerobic exercises (golf, walking and Nordic walking) improved brain function in golfers over 65.

More research is needed in larger, more diverse populations to determine whether a specific exercise can help improve brain function or slow cognitive decline more than another. However, previous findings and research make it clear that choosing to exercise is better for your brain than not exercising at all.

Now, you don’t have to immediately start walking the popular 10,000 steps a day or become a regular golfer, but you can start considering what habits work best to incorporate brain-healthy exercise into your routine.

Read the original article about Eating Well.