Latest news with #MaddisonMellow
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Just 5 minutes a day of these exercises can sharpen your brain as you age
Exercise has long been linked with stronger brains and reduced risk of dementia and other cognitive diseases. But new research suggests that older adults can significantly improve brain health with only a few minutes of daily movement. Researchers from the University of South Australia and the U.S.-based AdventHealth Research Institute found that as few as five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise a day correlated to significantly better cognitive performance. The study, published in the British journal Age & Ageing in early April, examined data from hundreds of people 65 to 80 years old. Researchers found that "huff-and-puff" movements, like running or lap swimming, were associated with better brain functions including information processing, focusing and multitasking and short-term memory. They also found that even a few minutes of moderate exercise like walking improves brain functions. 'Our key finding was that moving from doing zero minutes or very little moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to doing just five minutes a day — that's where the biggest gain in cognitive function was seen,' said the study's lead author, Maddison Mellow, a research associate at the University of South Australia. The researchers distinguished between moderate and vigorous exercise by applying a simple test: whether subjects could still manage to speak full sentences after moving around. Vigorous exercise makes that impossible, said Audrey Collins, a postdoctoral research scientist at AdventHealth Research Institute and the paper's co-lead author. The study observed 585 people, all in good health. Their physical activity was measured using accelerometers they wore on their wrists; the researchers tested cognitive functions using online and paper-based tests. Worth noting: This study also found a 'strong relationship' between spending little to no time doing moderate to vigorous activity and poorer cognitive performance, Mellow said. One slightly surprising finding, she added, was that the cognitive performance gains from exercise don't extend to longer-term memory and visual-spatial functions like judging distances or sizes. The study was novel in that it categorized how people divided their days into three behaviors: sleep, sedentary and active. And though getting enough quality sleep is important to brain health in midlife and beyond, the researchers said that when forced to choose between minutes spent sleeping and minutes spent exercising, reducing sleep time to spend more time moving resulted in better brain function. 'It didn't really matter, in this sample, where time was coming from, whether from sleep, sedentary behavior or light intensity physical activity,' Mellow said. 'So long as time was being increased in moderate vigorous activity, that's where the benefits were being shown for cognitive outcomes.' With that in mind, what are some moderate or vigorous bursts of exercise for older adults to do every day? We consulted experts to give you five accessible options. Two experts I spoke with each said the easiest way to clock those five daily minutes for brain health is by walking. 'Walking is No. 1, because that's the easiest,' said E. Todd Schroeder, professor of clinical physical therapy and the director of the Clinical Exercise Research Center at USC. Very sedentary older adults may want to start with simple flat-ground walking at their normal pace, Schroeder says. If you're already a steady, regular walker, kick up the pace to elevate your heart rate into that all-important moderate category. 'A brisk walk is considered to be moderate activity,' said Rob Musci, an assistant professor of health and human sciences at Loyola Marymount University. On a scale of 1 to 10, moderate exercise is what you would consider being in the 4 to 6 range, Musci said. To achieve a real huff-and-puff workout, walking or hiking briskly uphill is excellent, Schroeder said, because it also necessarily requires walking back down hill. 'That interval-type training is good,' he said, 'where your heart rate goes up for a time then comes back down.' Swimming is a terrific way to get a full-body workout and raise your heart rate. 'It's easy on the joints,' Shroeder said. 'Even if you struggle with the technique of swimming, you can put on fins and get some at least moderate exercise.' Cycling can be on a stationary bike or an outdoor bike, many of which are now battery-assisted, making pedaling up hills almost too easy. One reason I like old-fashioned outdoor bikes, sans batteries, is that they also train balance and require your brain to keep you safe. Lifting weights is one of the best ways to maintain muscle strength as we age, Musci said. Try these simple exercises you can easily do at home in fewer than three minutes. They include: Tossing a weighted ball from one hand to another (try it standing on one leg) Squats holding a kettlebell, dumbbell, a bag of oranges or nothing at all Weighted chest presses in boat pose Gardening can be a great way to engage core muscles, encourage flexibility and practice fine motor skills. Even basic house cleaning, like scrubbing a bathtub or mopping a floor, can qualify as moderate exercise. 'Anything that gets your heart going is what we're looking for,' Musci said. 'You hear about all these high-end interventions, fitness programs and boot camps, but in reality, it's just movement.' The most important thing, he said, is 'just getting off the couch.' Von Zielbauer is the creator of Aging With Strength on Substack. Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Just 5 minutes a day of these exercises can sharpen your brain as you age
Exercise has long been linked with stronger brains and reduced risk of dementia and other cognitive diseases. But new research suggests that older adults can significantly improve brain health with only a few minutes of daily movement. Researchers from the University of South Australia and the U.S.-based AdventHealth Research Institute found that as few as five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise a day correlated to significantly better cognitive performance. The study, published in the British journal Age & Ageing in early April, examined data from hundreds of people 65 to 80 years old. Researchers found that 'huff-and-puff' movements, like running or lap swimming, were associated with better brain functions including information processing, focusing and multitasking and short-term memory. They also found that even a few minutes of moderate exercise like walking improves brain functions. 'Our key finding was that moving from doing zero minutes or very little moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to doing just five minutes a day — that's where the biggest gain in cognitive function was seen,' said the study's lead author, Maddison Mellow, a research associate at the University of South Australia. The researchers distinguished between moderate and vigorous exercise by applying a simple test: whether subjects could still manage to speak full sentences after moving around. Vigorous exercise makes that impossible, said Audrey Collins, a postdoctoral research scientist at AdventHealth Research Institute and the paper's co-lead author. The study observed 585 people, all in good health. Their physical activity was measured using accelerometers they wore on their wrists; the researchers tested cognitive functions using online and paper-based tests. Worth noting: This study also found a 'strong relationship' between spending little to no time doing moderate to vigorous activity and poorer cognitive performance, Mellow said. One slightly surprising finding, she added, was that the cognitive performance gains from exercise don't extend to longer-term memory and visual-spatial functions like judging distances or sizes. The study was novel in that it categorized how people divided their days into three behaviors: sleep, sedentary and active. And though getting enough quality sleep is important to brain health in midlife and beyond, the researchers said that when forced to choose between minutes spent sleeping and minutes spent exercising, reducing sleep time to spend more time moving resulted in better brain function. 'It didn't really matter, in this sample, where time was coming from, whether from sleep, sedentary behavior or light intensity physical activity,' Mellow said. 'So long as time was being increased in moderate vigorous activity, that's where the benefits were being shown for cognitive outcomes.' With that in mind, what are some moderate or vigorous bursts of exercise for older adults to do every day? We consulted experts to give you five accessible options. Two experts I spoke with each said the easiest way to clock those five daily minutes for brain health is by walking. 'Walking is No. 1, because that's the easiest,' said E. Todd Schroeder, professor of clinical physical therapy and the director of the Clinical Exercise Research Center at USC. Very sedentary older adults may want to start with simple flat-ground walking at their normal pace, Schroeder says. If you're already a steady, regular walker, kick up the pace to elevate your heart rate into that all-important moderate category. 'A brisk walk is considered to be moderate activity,' said Rob Musci, an assistant professor of health and human sciences at Loyola Marymount University. On a scale of 1 to 10, moderate exercise is what you would consider being in the 4 to 6 range, Musci said. To achieve a real huff-and-puff workout, walking or hiking briskly uphill is excellent, Schroeder said, because it also necessarily requires walking back down hill. 'That interval-type training is good,' he said, 'where your heart rate goes up for a time then comes back down.' Swimming is a terrific way to get a full-body workout and raise your heart rate. 'It's easy on the joints,' Shroeder said. 'Even if you struggle with the technique of swimming, you can put on fins and get some at least moderate exercise.' Cycling can be on a stationary bike or an outdoor bike, many of which are now battery-assisted, making pedaling up hills almost too easy. One reason I like old-fashioned outdoor bikes, sans batteries, is that they also train balance and require your brain to keep you safe. Lifting weights is one of the best ways to maintain muscle strength as we age, Musci said. Try these simple exercises you can easily do at home in fewer than three minutes. They include: Gardening can be a great way to engage core muscles, encourage flexibility and practice fine motor skills. Even basic house cleaning, like scrubbing a bathtub or mopping a floor, can qualify as moderate exercise. 'Anything that gets your heart going is what we're looking for,' Musci said. 'You hear about all these high-end interventions, fitness programs and boot camps, but in reality, it's just movement.' The most important thing, he said, is 'just getting off the couch.' Von Zielbauer is the creator of Aging With Strength on Substack.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
You Can Boost Your Brain Health With This Small Amount of Exercise
As a busy mom juggling kids, work, and household responsibilities, I've always found it hard to squeeze in lengthy workouts. Honestly, what parent has time in their day to stop, drop and focus on themselves? That's why this groundbreaking research feels like a gift to parents everywhere: just five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily can significantly improve your brain health. A new study from the University of South Australia, conducted with the US-based AdventHealth Research Institute, reveals that activities that increase your heart rate - whether it's a brisk walk, water aerobics, or a quick jog around the block - are associated with better processing speed, working memory, and executive function in older adults. The most remarkable finding? The biggest cognitive gains appeared in people who went from doing no moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at all to incorporating just five minutes into their day. Related: This Is How Much You Should Walk Every Day to Offset the Harmful Effects of Sitting According to Neuroscience News, "When I first read this research, I immediately thought of my parents and in-laws," I told my husband. "We're always worrying about their cognitive health as they age, but this seems so doable even for them." According to Dr. Maddison Mellow, lead researcher at UniSA, there are three exclusive lifestyle behaviors in our 24-hour day: sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity. How these interact directly influences our health outcomes, including brain function. The study specifically points to "activity performed at higher intensities that increases your heart rate and breathing" as being related to better cognitive performance, improving how fast your brain thinks, how well you plan and focus, and your ability to store information for short periods. What struck me as a mother was how accessible this approach is. We don't need expensive equipment or hour-long sessions at the gym. A dance party with your kids before dinner or a quick power walk during lunch could deliver meaningful benefits. Related: Jump Rope Songs, Rhymes, and Chants The research assessed data from 585 older adults aged 65-80 years, examining the relationships between time spent sleeping, being sedentary, engaging in light physical activity, and participating in more vigorous "huff-and-puff" activities. This study reinforces similar findings from the University of South Australia showing that benefits from exercise can come quickly - with clear gains appearing within just 1-3 months of starting regular activity. For families concerned about loved ones' cognitive health, this research offers hope and a practical approach. Even adding small bursts of heart-pumping activity throughout the day could make a meaningful difference for brain health as we age. So the next time you're tempted to dismiss a five-minute window as not worth exercising in, remember: even these brief moments of movement could be building a healthier brain for your future. Up Next: Related: This Exercise Beats the Gym for Stress Relief—And It's Not What You Think
