Change It Up and Move It

Aerobic activity not only increases our fitness; it also stimulates the improvement of mental health by generating structural changes in the brain. I did not make this up; it comes from the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Cardiovascular activity (running, cycling, swimming) produces different changes in the brain and novel experience increases how the changes are made in relation to cognitive performance. Meaning, how well we think and process information.

The information suggests that physical activity makes different changes than the changes from learning something new (French for that trip next year) or doing a new activity (sailing a sailboat). Aerobic exercise has it’s own special reward for your brain. The standard thinking is moderate exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, or more intense exercise for 20 minutes, 3 days a week. Or a combination of both. In addition, balance, agility, flexibility, and coordination need work. This is where we think we are aging because these abilities get worse as we age. In truth, we do not practice them as much, so it’s an illusion that we are getting worse. We are just out of practice.

Get out there and do something every day, if only for a few minutes. Change it up. Make it novel. Try new things. Put a twist on old things. Think of yourself as active, not sedentary. Your fitness will improve if you move more, and your brain will thank you.

That’s Aging Intelligently.