The age of the brain is not equal to the actual age. Experts analyze that exercise not only strengthens the body but also the brain. It is recommended to accumulate 150 minutes per week.

As age increases, many people gradually experience memory loss, difficulty concentrating, etc., and are worried about whether their brain is aging. Experts say brain aging is not only related to age, genetics and disease, but also influenced by lifestyle habits like exercise, sleep and diet. Research has found that regular exercise is linked to changes in “brain age” estimated from brain imaging. People can maintain brain health through brisk walking, cycling, and muscle training.

Practicing psychiatrist Yang Congcai said that brain age is usually estimated using brain imaging data such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and statistical models to estimate brain characteristics. This is not the actual age of the brain, nor can cognitive ability be determined by numbers alone.

Exercise isn’t just about losing weight or building muscles. It may also affect the brain through various physiological mechanisms. When muscles contract, molecules called “muscle hormones” are released that perform the function of transmitting messages. Among them, irisin has attracted research attention; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the “maintenance support system” of nerve cells. It is related to the survival of nerve cells, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory and other functions.

Yang Kangkai said that, however, relevant research is still ongoing, and it cannot be concluded that exercise will definitely reduce everyone’s brain age, nor can changes in brain age be linked with how memory is younger for years.

Yang Kangcai pointed out that exercise is helpful to the brains of people of all ages. Children and teens can develop physical coordination, attention and emotional regulation through activities such as running, jumping, ball games and swimming. Young adults can use their lunch breaks to take a walk, get off the bus one stop earlier or get up and walk around at work to reduce sitting for long periods of time. Middle-aged people should manage problems like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity as early as possible; Mature and elderly people can combine aerobic exercise, muscle strength and balance training to maintain mobility and independence in daily life.

As for the amount of exercise, Yang Kangcai suggested that the public refer to the World Health Organization’s recommendations, which suggest that generally healthy adults perform 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity per week, and conduct strength training of major muscle groups at least 2 days per week. Moderate-intensity exercise can be evaluated through a “speech test.” During exercise, breathing becomes a little faster, and you can still speak, but you can’t sing easily, like walking fast; Breathing becomes much faster, and you can only speak short sentences, like running at a fast pace.

Yang Kangkai said that if you lack exercise habits, you do not need high-intensity training at the beginning. You can start with 10 minutes a day, and then gradually increase the time and intensity according to your physical fitness. The effect of exercise cannot be measured just by how much you sweat. The key is to be consistent and consistent with your individual abilities.

Yang Kangkai said that regular exercise can help improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, balance and metabolic health, and control some cardiovascular risk factors. These changes may help reduce the risk of some preventable cerebrovascular and cognitive degeneration. Also, exercise should be coordinated with adequate sleep, a balanced diet, non-smoking, moderate or abstinence from alcohol consumption, and management of chronic disease. No amount of exercise can guarantee prevention of dementia, nor can it replace necessary treatment.