A study carried out by researchers from the University of Canberra and the Australian National University has proven that physical exercise improves cognitive functions, such as memory and attention, in the over 50s. Well, this is not a surprise. We’ve heard many times about the mental benefits of exercise.

However, this study provides evidence that regular moderately intense exercise has a positive effect even for people with some kind of declining mental function. It means that exercise might help those with early signs of dementia be mentally fit for longer. Apart from those mental health benefits (and the clear physical ones), this study says something else: that doctors should recommend people do exercise on as many days as possible. This shows the importance of exercising: it doesn’t have to be something we do only if we have the free time to do it, but rather something we need to make time for.

Thanks to this study, now we know that exercising has more benefits than we previously thought. So there are no more excuses: we all need to exercise. Obviously, exercise has to be adapted to suit your limitations. Get professional advice on what you can do, and remember that this is very important to avoid injuries. If the only exercise you are physically able to do is walking, go for it: don’t think that only intensive exercise is beneficial as any exercise is better than nothing.