New research reveals that just five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can significantly improve cognitive performance in seniors, with a clear “use it or lose it” relationship between exercise and brain health.
A collaborative study between the University of South Australia and AdventHealth Research Institute has found that activities that increase heart rate are directly associated with better processing speed, working memory, and executive function in adults aged 65-80 years.
“In this study we explored how different uses of time impact your brain. We found that higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity – that is, activity performed at higher intensities that increases your heart rate and breathing – was related to better cognitive performance,” said Dr Maddison Mellow, researcher at UniSA.
The research team analysed data from 585 older adults participating in the USA-based IGNITE trial, examining how time spent sleeping, being sedentary, or engaging in physical activity affected cognitive abilities. Importantly, they discovered a bidirectional relationship between exercise and brain function.
“Specifically, ‘huff-and-puff’ physical activity (like aerobic exercise) improves processing speed (how fast your brain thinks), executive function (how well you plan, focus, and multitask) and working memory (your ability to store information for short periods of time),” Dr Mellow explained. “Importantly, the opposite was also true: lower levels of this higher intensity physical activity were related to poorer performance on these tests.”
Perhaps most encouraging for inactive seniors was the finding that even minimal exercise produces measurable benefits. The study showed the most significant cognitive improvements occurred when people went from doing no moderate-to-vigorous activity to engaging in just five minutes daily.
Dr Audrey Collins, co-researcher on the study, emphasised the practical implications: “Understanding that we need to prioritise physical activity – such as physical activity that gets our heart rates up, according to our findings – is the key.”
The findings come at a critical time, with global demographics shifting rapidly toward an ageing population. “With one in six people in the world expected to be 60 years or older by 2030, we need to make sure we are supporting and empowering people to age well,” noted Dr Collins.
Read also: ‘Ticket to Wellbeing’ encourages physical activity for over-65s
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
