Physical activity slows brain aging

The first stage of the experiment was conducted among sedentary men aged 65-79. They were offered to take a series of tests on memory, attention and coordination of movements. It turned out that elderly participants coped with the tasks worse than people aged 52-64. And if they were given a mentally fatiguing task before the tests, the results became even weaker.

In the second part of the study, scientists compared physically active and sedentary pensioners aged 66-72 years. It turned out that those who exercised regularly performed better both when rested and after mental exertion.

According to Professor Chris Ring from the University of Birmingham, these findings confirm that physical activity not only strengthens the body, but also helps the brain to better cope with stress. People who lead active lifestyles maintain mental clarity, endurance and resilience to stress for longer.

The study found that cognitive decline is not only linked to aging, but also to a sedentary lifestyle. Those who don’t exercise become fatigued more quickly and lose concentration.

Prof. Ring recommends three simple ways to improve your mental stamina:

• Move more. Any physical activity, from walking to strength training, strengthens not only your muscles but also your brain.
• Warm up before exertion. A combination of mental and physical exercise before important tasks helps reduce fatigue.
• Specialized training. The Brain Endurance Training (BET) method, which combines mental and physical tasks, increases resistance to mental exhaustion and improves performance.

Maintaining mental clarity in old age depends not only on genetics but also on lifestyle. Regular exercise helps fight age-related changes, improves cognitive function and makes the brain more resistant to fatigue.