A recent study by a university in the Netherlands concluded that in addition to cardiovascular improvement and healthier aging of the body, aerobic exercise increases cognitive fitness in older people.
Healthy people above age 50 are discovering that by getting off the couch and doing something physical (walking, biking, using cardio machines at the health club), they are enjoying improvements in cognitive processing speed, motor function, and visual and auditory attention and perception. This is particularly good news for Baby Boomers whose occasional lapses of memory (“senior moments”) can become problematic. These lapses can also be accompanied by the inability to concentrate for long periods on a task.
The study involved more than 600 adults aged 55 and older who exercised aerobically between two and seven days each week. These adults were compared to groups of non-exercisers and non-aerobic exercisers. The aerobic exercisers noted not only lower blood pressure but improved brain function as well.
So…get up America, and get moving!
