The Alzheimer Society of Canada reports that 25,000 new cases of dementia are diagnosed every year. The brain disorder affects millions of people around the world, directly or indirectly.
One common symptom of dementia is memory loss. Memory loss, like forgetting someone’s name or sometimes having difficulty finding words, is a normal part of the aging process. It affects about 40% of people who are 65 years old or over. But you don’t have to succumb to the effects of aging just because it’s considered normal. You can keep your brain young with this simple tip: climb the stairs regularly.
A new study from Concordia University in Montreal has found that the more stairs you climb regularly, the younger your brain will behave.
The study, published in Neurobiology of Aging, examined the brains of 331 participants, ranging in age from 19 to 79. Using non-invasive MRIs to measure their brain health, the scientists rated the volume of grey matter within. (Grey matter is perceived as a visual marker of neural health.)
Participants who climbed more flights of stairs every day had more grey matter. Each flight of stairs climbed per day equaled to about 0.58 years younger. Education also had a positive effect on grey matter – every year of education made the brain the equivalent of 0.95 years younger.
So, if you want to match your youthful appearance from Botox, you might want to consider climbing more stairs everyday!