So you weren’t the varsity star in high school, and you didn’t win a tennis scholarship to college. Coach little league for your child? Join an adult running club?
If you sat on the sidelines most of your life, new evidence shows that jump-starting an exercise routine in middle age may promote healthy aging in the brain during the autumn of your life. In other words, it’s never too late!
Can you begin a routine of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity for 75 minutes a week? That is only one hour and 15 minutes. Studies show that activity among middle-aged people promotes brain health and preserves the brain’s actual structure. There were fewer signs of brain disease among the 1,600 people studies over 25 years. Those participants who didn’t exercise had a 47% chance of developing brain damage. It’s time to get going!
Whether you choose biking, paddling, or vigorous walking, you will keep that white matter intact, which is tissue composed of nerve fibers that link to different areas of the brain. And while you are exercising your brain, you’ll probably meet more people and enjoy the outdoors more than you ever realized.