Easy Balance Exercises For The Aging Brain

Balance Exercises Aid The Brain As It  Ages

Older adults can find balance exercises to be very beneficial in a number of ways. Please see www.exerciseforbalance.com/home  Stability exercises are the foundation for moving safely that can aid in keeping the aging brain healthy and sharp. New research out of Scotland refuted the age old ideas that crossword puzzels and learning a new language are the best ways to dimish cognitive decline in older adults. New outcomes of a study on 700 people born in 1936 show that exercise is absolutely the most beneficial activity to stave off negative cognitive  changes during the aging process. In contrast, previous ideas for brain health recommended reading, playing brain stimulating games, or visiting with friends and relatives. The recent study showed that those activities did virtually nothing to enhance brain function in the elderly.

Balance Exercises Lead To Better Brain Health

The Scottish study revealed that exercise leads to better brain health. In general, exercise increases circulation in the body and brain and brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain. One brilliant aspect of this study was to define the exercise level needed to maintain good cognitive health. The researchers broke down exercise levels into a six point scale. The easiest exercise level was described as moving only in connection to household activities. The highest level of exercise involved intense sport activity several times a week. The study was able to delineate the difference between casual, leisure movement activities verses high level, intense activities. Researchers determined that higher level of physical activity resulted in less brain atrophy, less shrinkage and less brain damage. On the other hand, they found no correlation between  leisure activities or activities of daily living at home and brain health. As a result, those people  who  remain physically active at a high level retain good brain health and show limited cognitive decline.

Balance Exercises Build The Foundation For Good Brain Health

Balance exercises are the starting point for better brain health. The study out of Scotland showed that high  levels of intense exercise are needed to bring good circulation to the brain, which maximizes cognitive health for older adults. In order to be able to perform high level activities, every individual needs to have a good foundation of balance abilities. For sports activities like tennis, the individual requires stability in side to side movements to make different ground strokes and volleys. For the ever popular sport of skiing, the person  needs excellent balance reactions to manage moving boards on slick surfaces-snow, ice and powder.These  balance skills can be developed through daily balance exercises. By stabilizing in challenging situations  like with a narrow base of support or with dynamic challenges like turning the head side to side while balancing, the person's balance reactions are maximized. One of the best ways to advance balance skills is to practice everyday at home with an expert in  the field. Now there is a wonderful tool to practically work on equilibrium techniques at home with a licensed physical therapist who has twenty-five years of experience helping folks with balance problems, the Exercise For Balance DVD. The balance DVD provides  excellent instruction on the best balance exercises and strength exercises needed to build a foundation for stability during high level sports activity.