Exercise can boost your memory and thinking skills

Exercise benefits health in countless ways: it preserves muscle strength, keeps your heart strong, maintains a healthy body weight, and holds off chronic diseases such as diabetes.

It also benefits the brain. Many studies suggest that the brain regions governing thinking and memory are larger in people who exercise than in those who do not. In one finding, six months to a year of regular moderate-intensity exercise was associated with increased volume in selected brain regions.

Exercise can also support memory and thinking indirectly - by improving mood and sleep and by easing stress and anxiety, problems that frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.

Which exercise is best for the brain?

Is one kind of exercise better than another for brain health? We do not know yet, because nearly all the research so far has focused on one form: walking. "But it's likely that other forms of aerobic exercise that get your heart pumping might yield similar benefits," says a neurologist who studies exercise and cognition.

A study published in a geriatrics journal found that tai chi may enhance cognitive function in older adults - especially executive function, which manages planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, and verbal reasoning. That may be because tai chi, a martial art built on slow, focused movements, requires learning and memorizing new skills and movement patterns.

How to maximize the brain benefits of exercise

The recommendation: make exercise a habit, almost like taking a daily medication. Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking. Start with a few minutes a day and add five or 10 minutes each week until you reach your goal.

And since studies show it takes about six months to start reaping the cognitive benefits, be patient while you wait for the first results - and keep exercising for life.