This finding could not have come at a better time. The modern day life turns many of us into couch potatoes. After hectic hours of doing work at the office, traffic and household chores, the last thing you want to do is exercise.

It pays to put effort into taking care of your health. This may be tough now but exercising helps you to reap a rich harvest later in life.

Decrease in brain volume

Scientists from the American Academy of Neurology says poor physical fitness in middle age is linked to decreased brain volume 20 years later. Sounds scary is it not?

Poor fitness may accelerate brain ageing and thereby reduce our efficiency and the freedom to enjoy our life. So this is a wake-up call for all the couch potatoes out there.

The study participants were 1,583 people whose average age was 40 years. They were free from heart disease and dementia.

These participants took a treadmill test. Two decades later they took another treadmill test and MRI brain scans.

Some participants who took beta blockers or those who had heart diseases were excluded at this stage.

The exercise capacity of the participants was measured using the length of time, they were able to exercise on the treadmill before their heart rate reached a certain level.

Results

The average estimated exercise capacity of the participants was 39 mL/kg/min. To give you a clear idea, this amount is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use in one minute.

The researchers found that for every 8 units lower a person performed from the average value, their brain volume two decades was smaller. This translates into the fact that their brains aged two years earlier than the exercising population.

 The researchers also found that people whose heart rate and blood pressure went up at a higher rate during the exercise were also more likely to have smaller brain volumes 20 years later.

The researchers say that this is an observational study. This research shows the link between poor physical fitness and smaller brains. It does not prove it.

Anyway, it would be wise to pay attention, to any alarm bells before it becomes too late.

Cardiorespiratory fitness

The main idea behind cardiorespiratory fitness is to give oxygen supply to the muscles and boost its performance.

The examples of cardiorespiratory fitness include walking, swimming, cycling, jogging or running. They are really easy but you have to put your mind and soul to it. Because the results you will reap will be amazing.

Earlier studies say that cardiorespiratory fitness may positively impact the structure of white matter in the brain. This gives us hope that exercise could prevent the age-related mental decline in brain structure.

The researchers point out that moderate to mild exercises can boost your brain health. It is not necessary that you should be perfectly fit to enjoy all these benefits.

Exercise improves cognitive performance in older adults and helps in successful brain aging. It improves memory and academic performance.

Take away

A brisk walk or jog at the beginning of the day gives an energetic start to the day. The soft rays of the early morning sun, boosts your vitamin D, levels. Thus, you reap both the short term and long term benefits when you do exercise.