​Utilizing Simple Exercises to Reduce Your Risk for Dementia

Regular exercise is an important part of reducing your risk for dementia. In fact, a 35-year study showed that consistent exercise was key to reducing dementia risk by 60 percent!

It can also help those already displaying symptoms of dementia, which is why Ashford residents are encouraged to join in with our daily exercise sessions. But don’t think that you need to hire a personal trainer to make sure you are doing the right exercises to reduce your dementia risk.

How Much Exercise You Need To Reduce Dementia Risk

Throwing around words like “regular exercise” doesn’t mean a whole lot if there is no definition of what is considered regular. For low- to moderate-intensity exercises, working out 5 days a week for 20-30 minutes would be considered regular exercise.

If you are up to higher-intensity exercise, you can work out 3 days a week for 30-40 minutes at a time. However, we do not recommend jumping immediately into high-intensity workouts if you are not already working out consistently. The risk of injury is much higher with high-intensity workouts if your body is not ready for it.

Simple Exercises You Should Do To Boost Memory

Your memory-boosting workouts don’t have to be complicated to produce the desired results. In fact, the simpler you make your workout routine, the more likely you are to stick with it. However, if you are feeling pain beyond general soreness after starting to regularly workout, be sure to contact your doctor. Below are some of our residents favorite low- to moderate-intensity exercises:

• Yoga – Not all styles of yoga are the same, so for the best results, we recommend you try some of the more vigorous styles like Vinyasa. You will be able to raise your heart rate, retain your flexibility, and improve your overall balance.
• Power walking – Running isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but most can benefit from engaging in power walking. The brisk movement will improve your cardiovascular health and your mind will have to stay engaged in your workout as you watch your surroundings for obstacles.
• Chair exercise – Workout while seated by doing chair exercises. These exercises are great for those who want to workout but may have mobility issues or have other reasons why they are unable to leave the house.

It can be scary to think about our own possible risk for dementia. But by taking simple preventative measures like engaging in regular exercise, you can be assured that you are directly impacting your personal risk for dementia.