Most people want to do what they can to prevent diseases like dementia from taking over their mind and body in the long run. They are willing to take supplements, see certain doctors, and try to live a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, a lot of people overlook the importance of key actions like exercise and what they can offer to keep your brain active and healthy for years to come. Keeping yourself in great physical shape could prove essential to reducing the overall risk of dementia.
If you are determined to reduce your risk of this disease, what sort of exercise routine do you really need to follow? Find out more about what sort of exercise you need to do in order to stay healthy and alert.
How fit do you have to be?
In the original study done by Neurology, it was demonstrated that women with moderate to high fitness levels experienced the most reduced risk of dementia. Fitness was determined by the amount of time participants could bicycle before they reached a point of exhaustion. Most of the people who saw the greatest reduction in their risk were able to cycle for more than six minutes before reaching a point of exhaustion.
Keep in mind that everyone who had some degree of fitness did benefit from their exercise. The highest fitness levels simply saw the lowest risk of dementia symptoms in the future.
How much exercise should I get?
The key to reducing your risk of dementia symptoms is to participate in an exercise regimen regularly. In the study completed by Neurology, the women who saw the most benefit were those who exercised daily. Regular physical activity helps to keep your brain sharp for the years ahead, so make sure that you are exercising multiple times a week. Most experts recommend starting with roughly three workouts per week.
The goal should be to build up your stamina and endurance to higher levels. You can choose any type of exercise regimen you want, as long as you working on building up your heart health. Experts are often recommending that you participate in high-intensity interval training sessions several times per week. This means that you will do short bursts of intense exercise followed by gentler recovery periods.
These help to strengthen your heart and build more endurance. However, you have some options for how you choose to do these HIIT sessions. You could use the exercise bike, treadmill, or elliptical machines. Some people even choose to lift weights. This gives you the maximum amount of flexibility for how you will choose to exercise.
Reducing the risk of dementia is critical to preventing long-term issues that could prevent you from staying at home. Exercise can help to reduce your symptoms so that you can stick with a recognized home care service like Partners for Home. We can help you to come up with an excellent plan to stay healthy and happy at home for as long as possible!