Stop Memory Loss in Its Tracks

Memory loss is terrifying.

When your recall starts to slip, it’s easy to think it’s too late to do anything about it.

Fortunately, that’s NOT the case.

Mild cognitive impairment (or MCI) is an early stage of memory loss. When you have MCI, you can still live independently. But you might notice yourself becoming more forgetful or having trouble word finding.

If you’re dealing with MCI, there’s something you can do that can STOP your cognitive decline in its tracks. And all it takes is a half-hour commitment four times a week.

Recent research revealed how easy it can be to put the brakes on memory loss. Researchers recruited 300 older adults with mild cognitive impairment for the study.

Half the volunteers performed heart rate-raising aerobic exercises, while the other half performed stretching exercises that didn’t raise their heart rate.

Both groups were guided by personal trainers, which provided the added benefits of accountability, direction, and social contact.

One year later, brain scans showed no brain shrinkage in EITHER group. Plus, cognitive testing showed no decline in brain function.

So while exercise didn’t improve their memory loss, it did stop it from getting worse.

This is in sharp contrast to another study that followed a group of older adults who didn’t exercise. Testing showed that they experienced a significant cognitive decline over the same one-year period.

This was the longest study yet to investigate whether physical activity impacts memory and cognition in people who’ve already started to experience memory issues.

It also occurred during COVID-19, when anxiety and social isolation hit many seniors extra hard—two factors that are known to increase memory problems.

This makes the results even more impressive.

So how much exercise did it take to experience these results? The seniors were instructed to exercise for just 30-45 minutes four times per week.

Now I get it. If you have trouble getting motivated to walk to your mailbox, this could seem like an impossible task… especially at first.

That’s where the personal trainer becomes useful. Sometimes we all need a helping hand to motivate us to get going. These days you can find affordable online personal training. Or check with your local YMCA or gym.

After a few weeks of working out with a personal cheerleader and coach, your new routine will have become a habit. Then you will likely find it much easier to continue working out on your own.

P.S. Ask your doctor for this simple test to help predict your risk of cognitive decline up to 10 years earlier. (NOT what you think.)

SOURCE:

Neergaard, L. (2022, August 2.) “Even Simple Exercises May Help Aging Brain, Study Hints.” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-exercise-8de5707d3b45642ed1dabe9cfc2a6511