Sunny skies pushing out gray clouds and birds singing sweet songs means Spring will soon be here! Let’s delight and step into Spring with renewed focus on our physical activity and brain wellness. As the weather warms and we awaken from our self-imposed hibernation, we often venture outside for a walk. As one who walks in (almost) any temperature, it’s always fun to see many more neighbors who venture out on sunny, warm days. It’s just in our nature to want to walk outside more as Spring arrives. Which is great news based on some recent research on walking and brain wellness.
Previous research has shown a correlation with higher step counts (number of steps taken in a day) and lower mortality. This is where the idea of 10,000 steps a day has found its basis and grown in popularity, especially as we age. But in a recent study published in Nature Medicine, researchers looked at physical activity via step count and its impact on cognitive and functional decline in older adults. In this study, they followed cognitively unimpaired participants up to 14 years and were able to demonstrate an association between higher physical activity and slower cognitive and functional decline in individuals with elevated amyloid protein (associated with Alzheimer’s Disease).
Essentially, for those already showing brain markers of Alzheimer’s Disease, walking 5001-7500 steps/day was shown to lessen cognitive and functional decline over time! This is great news for those who may be a bit older or have a hard time walking 10,000 steps. Additionally, this study demonstrates improvement with those showing a predisposition for Alzheimer’s related decline. This lesser step count that still demonstrates ability to slow decline could be a game changer for some individuals and is great news for us all. This level of walking can even be accomplished inside when the weather isn’t so cooperative 😉!
More and more research keeps proving the correlation between physical exercise and not only lowering overall mortality but also our risk of cognitive decline. So, let’s step into Spring to help our bodies and brains as well!
For further details please see the complete study Physical activity as a modifiable risk factor in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease here.