A Few Minutes of Exercise a Day Can Reduce Dementia Risk
New study shows how regular physical activity protects the brain in the long term — especially in old age
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What would it be like if the best prevention against dementia lies not in a pill — but in a daily walk? A new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows: Just 35 minutes of exercise per week — i.e. five minutes a day — can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 41%. And the more you move, the bigger the effect.
The most important findings at a glance:
- 70—140 minutes of moderate to intensive activity per week (e.g. through fast walking, cycling or dancing) reduces the risk of dementia by around 63%.
- Starting at 140 minutes per week, the risk reduction is even just under 70%.
- Particularly remarkable: Even frail or health-impaired people benefit from this effect — exercise works regardless of their general state of health.
It doesn't have to be a marathon
The good news: The protective effect does not require top sporting performance. The decisive factor is not how intense or spectacular the activity is, but that it happens regularly. Just a daily walk or climbing stairs to your own apartment door can help to maintain cognitive abilities in the long term.
“Our message is simple: Movement, which causes a slight increase in heart rate and respiration, is medicine — also for the brain. ”
— Ulrik Wisløff & Atefe R. Tari, NTNU
What does that mean for healthy aging?
Movement has long been considered one of the most important pillars of longevity — not only for muscles, heart and metabolism, but also for the brain. This study provides further evidence that our lifestyle today determines our mental health tomorrow.
Perhaps it is time to stop seeing “exercise” as physical training — but as a daily investment in our mental clarity and self-determination in old age.
References
Neuroprotective mechanisms of exercise and the importance of fitness for healthy brain aging” by Atefe R Tari, Tara L Walker, Aleksi M Huuha, Sigrid B Sando and Ulrik Wisloff, 29 March 2025, The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736 (25) 00184-9
Publiziert
23.6.2025
Kategorie
Lifestyle
Experte
What would it be like if the best prevention against dementia lies not in a pill — but in a daily walk? A new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows: Just 35 minutes of exercise per week — i.e. five minutes a day — can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 41%. And the more you move, the bigger the effect.
The most important findings at a glance:
- 70—140 minutes of moderate to intensive activity per week (e.g. through fast walking, cycling or dancing) reduces the risk of dementia by around 63%.
- Starting at 140 minutes per week, the risk reduction is even just under 70%.
- Particularly remarkable: Even frail or health-impaired people benefit from this effect — exercise works regardless of their general state of health.
It doesn't have to be a marathon
The good news: The protective effect does not require top sporting performance. The decisive factor is not how intense or spectacular the activity is, but that it happens regularly. Just a daily walk or climbing stairs to your own apartment door can help to maintain cognitive abilities in the long term.
“Our message is simple: Movement, which causes a slight increase in heart rate and respiration, is medicine — also for the brain. ”
— Ulrik Wisløff & Atefe R. Tari, NTNU
What does that mean for healthy aging?
Movement has long been considered one of the most important pillars of longevity — not only for muscles, heart and metabolism, but also for the brain. This study provides further evidence that our lifestyle today determines our mental health tomorrow.
Perhaps it is time to stop seeing “exercise” as physical training — but as a daily investment in our mental clarity and self-determination in old age.
Experte
Referenzen
Neuroprotective mechanisms of exercise and the importance of fitness for healthy brain aging” by Atefe R Tari, Tara L Walker, Aleksi M Huuha, Sigrid B Sando and Ulrik Wisloff, 29 March 2025, The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736 (25) 00184-9
Publiziert
23.6.2025
Kategorie
Lifestyle
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