Even Low-Intensity Exercise May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
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Even Low-Key Exercise Is Fantastic for Your Brain

A new study finds that light exercise like stretching is as effective as sweatier workouts at preventing brain changes that can lead to dementia.
Even Low-Key Exercise Is Fantastic for Your Brain
Tatiana Maksimova/Getty Images; Getty Images

Light exercise like stretching and balance training can be just as effective as sweatier workouts for keeping the brain healthy and protecting against Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research.

Findings from the study suggest that regular exercise, even at low intensity, could go a long way toward helping older adults slow or delay cognitive decline — promising news for people at risk for dementia.

While earlier research has shown that physical activity can help prevent cognitive decline and dementia, this investigation zeroed in on older adults who already had mild cognitive impairment. It is part of the EXERT study (Exercise in Adults With Mild Memory Problems), the largest rigorous trial of exercise ever conducted in adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, is the stage between normal thinking skills and dementia. It comes with some memory loss and language issues, but it doesn’t impact day-to-day living.

People with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to progress to dementia, but some people with MCI never get worse, and in some cases, their brain health may even improve.

Exercise and Anxiety

There are many reasons people who suffer from anxiety should be physically active and fit. Exercise produces chemicals that make us feel good and generates new brain cells.
Exercise and Anxiety

Low-Intensity Activity Prevented Brain Shrinkage

The study included nearly 300 older adults with MCI who didn’t exercise regularly. Participants were placed in one of two groups:

  • Moderate-high intensity: Moderate-high intensity aerobic training, mainly treadmill walking
  • Low intensity: Stretching, balance, and light resistance exercise using resistance bands

Everyone in the study exercised three to four times per week for 12 months under the supervision of a YMCA trainer.

The study included regular assessments of cognitive function and brain volume, which researchers compared with an existing dataset of comparable individuals who received only usual care, such as regular checkups with healthcare providers and medication management.

Investigators expected to see cognitive decline in the low-intensity exercisers compared with the moderate- to high-intensity exercisers, but that didn’t happen.

Key study findings:

  • Cognitive function remained stable over 12 months in both exercise groups.
  • Participation in either exercise group was associated with significantly less cognitive decline over 12 months than in individuals outside the study.
  • Both exercise groups tended to show less loss of brain volume over 12 months, including in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, personality, and executive function.

“One of the more interesting findings from the trial was that exercise not only slowed cognitive decline but also appeared to slow underlying brain changes commonly associated with Alzheimer’s risk,” says Patrick J. Smith, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of psychiatry at the UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who was not involved in the study.

Perspectives
Portrait of a person
Paula
Living with Alzheimer’s disease
“I’ve always done yoga, but I’m doing it now. Like today I took two classes in a row, and — and I’m in a community. I’ve been part of this yoga studio for many, many, many years, so I am held by a lot of people that know and love me.”
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You Don’t Have to Sweat to Improve Brain Health

“We are hopeful that even lower intensity exercise could have benefits for brain health,” says Laura Baker, PhD, the principal investigator of the EXERT study and a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

“Although moderate- to high-intensity exercise often has been touted as the minimum amount needed to support memory and thinking abilities in the past, this level of intensity may not be attainable for all older individuals. Our findings suggest that any exercise, if done regularly, could have benefits for cognition,” says Dr. Baker.

For people who are able to ramp up the intensity, that may be even better for overall health and brain health.

“The recommended aerobic exercise dose is moderate exercise at least 30 minutes per day, or 150 minutes per week, including 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, but any kind of movement will protect your brain health, will improve your mood and mental health, and prevent cognitive decline,” says Helen Lavretsky, MD, a professor in residence in the department of psychiatry and a geriatric integrative psychiatrist at the University of California in Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study.

Experts Agree: Consistency Is Key

One takeaway for folks at risk for cognitive decline is that consistency is crucial, says Dr. Smith.

“I am asked every week, ‘What type of exercise should I do to help keep my brain healthy?’ These findings underscore the message I often give: The exercise you should do is the one that you’ll actually do. Anything is better than nothing, and prioritizing consistency over intensity is key. Making lifestyle changes you can stick with, however small, is a key starting point,” he says.

Find a Friend and Seek Out Joy

Baker agrees that it’s important to find an activity you enjoy. She also suggests building in an accountability factor, either by connecting with an exercise buddy or working with a fitness trainer.

“If a person has some memory problems, even if mild, it will be important to find extra support to ensure that the exercise remains regular, as these individuals have more difficulty initiating and sticking to activities that can be challenging at times,” Baker says. “Social environments can add to the benefits of exercise, such as community facilities like the YMCA, which has wonderful older adult programs.”

If you add an element of joy to the exercise, sticking to it will be easier, says Dr. Lavretsky. “You can dance and get additional benefit from moving with music, or hike in nature and benefit from earthing or forest bathing. Or do anything that makes your spirit soar. Add life to years, not just years to life,” she says.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Baker LD et al. Effects of Exercise on Cognition and Alzheimer’s Biomarkers in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: The EXERT Study. Alzheimer's & Dementia. April 24, 2025.
  2. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Mayo Clinic. October 24, 2024.
  3. El-Baba RM et al. Neuroanatomy, Frontal Cortex. StatPearls. May 29, 2023.

Emily Kay Votruba

Fact-Checker
Emily Kay Votruba has copyedited and fact-checked for national magazines, websites, and books since 1997, including Self, GQ, Gourmet, Golf Magazine, Outside, Cornell University Press, Penguin Random House, and Harper's Magazine. Her projects have included cookbooks (Padma Lakshmi's Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet), self-help and advice titles (Mika Brzezinski's Know Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What You're Worth), memoirs (Larry King's My Remarkable Journey), and science (Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Learn, by Cathy Davidson). She started freelancing for Everyday Health in 2016.
Becky Upham, MA

Becky Upham

Author

Becky Upham has worked throughout the health and wellness world for over 25 years. She's been a race director, a team recruiter for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a salesperson for a major pharmaceutical company, a blogger for Moogfest, a communications manager for Mission Health, a fitness instructor, and a health coach.

Upham majored in English at the University of North Carolina and has a master's in English writing from Hollins University.

Upham enjoys teaching cycling classes, running, reading fiction, and making playlists.