As we age and our bodies slow down, it can be tempting to spend more time on the couch in front of the TV, watching soap operas, sports and other fare.
After all, we work hard and have done so for decades: Aren’t we entitled to a little rest and relaxation?
Before you reward yourself with a more leisurely life, consider the potential consequences of inactivity. About 10% of premature deaths in the United States can be traced to inactivity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says just 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day might prevent around 110,000 deaths each year. In addition, regular activity can lower blood pressure, improve sleep and reduce the risk of being diagnosed with many types of diseases.
Now, a Boston University study suggests what might be the best benefit of not becoming a couch potato at midlife: Higher levels of physical activity during midlife (ages 45 to 64) are associated with a 40% lower risk of dementia over a 26-year period compared to people who reported the lowest levels of physical activity.
There is also some good news if you have moved past middle age and are squarely in your golden years: Higher levels of physical activity later in life (ages 65 to 88) are associated with a 36% to 45% lower risk of dementia over 15 years, the researchers say.
The researchers did not find a link between higher levels of physical activity in early adulthood (ages 26 to 44) and a lower risk of dementia, however.
The researchers also found that during midlife, higher physical activity was associated with lower dementia risk only in people without the gene for apolipoprotein E-4 (APOE4). (Having this gene raises a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.)
On the other hand, those who engaged in late-life physical activity had a reduced risk of dementia even if they carried the APOE4 gene.
Why might physical activity later in life lower your risk of dementia? Experts have suggested that exercise can boost blood flow in the brain and reduce inflammation. It also might enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change and adapt.
The Boston University study was based on an analysis of data on more than 4,300 people. They were free of dementia at the onset of the study period and self-reported their level of physical activity over the course of their lives.
The researchers emphasized that the self-reporting of activity levels might be a limitation in the study. In addition, higher mortality rates among those who were less active or who were simply older may have impacted the results.
For more on keeping your brain healthy, check out “This Key to a Happy Life Might Also Lower Your Dementia Risk.”