Is Exercise the Secret to Aging Well?

Healthspan vs. Lifespan

How does focused exercise impact the brain and body of those ages 50-90?

I recently completed a 12-week study at Activate Brain & Body- Indianapolis designed to answer that question. There was a group that exercised and participated in ‘brain games’ during the 1-hour workout session and there was an exercise-only control group. There were no more than 6 participants in each session and our workouts were personalized based on our physical condition.

Playing memory games on the big board at Activate Brain & Body

As the study ended, I met with Adam Ortman, Chief Exercise Science Officer at Activate Brain & Body to learn more about the impact of exercise on our brain and body.

5 pillars of brain health are exercise, socialization, stress management, nutrition, sleep

We started our conversation with socialization because after leaving the school setting, we tend to have a smaller social circle. “This can begin in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, not just 60s, 70s, and 80-year-olds,” according to Adam. When people are working they are around more people and have a sense of purpose. In retirement, the circle of people we talk with often shrinks again. Adam recommends “find things you love to do, learn new things, and meet new people.” In his research, cognitive decline tends to speed up as people are more isolated.

“Eating apples is better for us than eating apple pie,” Adam reminded me as we began talking about nutrition. I sighed trying not to visualize warm apple pie ala mode. As he went on, I became hopeful. “We make nutrition harder than it has to be. Focus on portion control, an anti-inflammatory diet, and eating less processed food vs. real food—a real animal, plant, or seasoning that our bodies can break down without becoming inflamed.” Adam offers the M.I.N.D. diet (a combination of the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet as a good resource.

Salad Bar Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

“Chronic stress and social isolation often go hand-in-hand,” according to Adam, “One can lead to the other. Social isolation can lead to more stress or stress can lead to withdrawing and becoming more isolated.” I have experienced people withdrawing when they are not feeling well. They don’t feel like talking or being social and it is understandable when someone is in pain. Adam explains we each have to develop ways to manage stress. Stress relievers may include meditation, exercise, yoga, hobbies, and socializing with friends. Chronic stress’ impact on brain health may include decreased motivation, creativity, focus, and problem-solving skills over time.

We will end this conversation with Adam discussing exercise and cognitive training which is combined at Activate’s Cincinnati and Indianapolis (Fishers) facilities. It is called “dual-task training” stimulating the brain and providing physical activity for the body during the same workout. According to Adam, “Exercise is the number one thing you can do to increase your longevity and live longer. Physical activity also plays a role in your healthspan. Lifespan is how many years you live. Healthspan is the “healthy time” within those years.

“Start small if you haven’t been exercising, even 10 minutes a day will help. Eventually, increasing to 150 minutes a week—which is 30 minutes of activity five days a week. Combine brain tasks like Sudoku, Wordle, and crosswords while the heart rate is increased for maximum benefit”—Adam Ortman.

My experience over 12 weeks was amazing! After 2 weeks, I noticed my flexibility in class improved and my sleep improved. I will dedicate a blog post to sleep in March. I lost a few pounds and body fat decreased slightly while my muscle mass increased slightly. My clothes fit better. My posture score improved. The biggest surprises were in my cognitive scores. I was in the “workout only” group without brain games. My scores on memory and deductive reasoning increased in some cases dramatically. I am going to continue the brain & body health journey and give you an update at the end of May for my 68th birthday!