Stay active for mental and physical health and improve longevity
“Dead man walking” couldn’t be a more mixed-up saying. Besides the obvious reasons, you’re far from doomed if you’re walking! Research on exercise points to walking as one of the best medicinal practices for your health. It’s good for your heart, muscles, bones, and mood; the list goes on and on. Now, new research adds brain health to the list. If you’re walking even just shy of 10,000 steps a day, you are cutting your chances of developing dementia in half.
Recently, scientists studied a group of participants’ data from the UK Biobank. There were 78,430 healthy participants with an average age of 61. Each of these participants wore an accelerometer 24 hours a day. Then, they were observed for seven years. Participants who took at least 3,826 steps each day lowered their risk for dementia by 25 percent. Those who took 9,800 steps a day reduced their risk by 50 percent! Researchers also noted that participants never reached several steps that were adverse to their health. The more steps participants took, the more beneficial it was to their health.
So, who is this good news for?
For those who struggle to plan:. You don’t have to schedule hours of training into your day to get moving. Instead, think strategically about how to walk more. You know the drill. Park further away, take the stairs, etc.
For those who struggle financially: No fancy gym membership is required to keep your blood flowing and your mind sharp. Walking also requires no high-tech gear. At most, you need a good pair of shoes to get going.
For those predisposed to dementia: You have a specific way you can actively combat a potential threat to your health. Feel anxious or worried about your health? It’s probably time to take a walk.
This is excellent news for everyone. How will you motivate yourself to get going?
