Weekend Warriors Reap Brain Health Benefits

Doctors suggest engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily.

If someone aims to lose weight or achieve specific fitness objectives, this number increases. For those who struggle to find a continuous 30-minute block, experts advise breaking it into smaller segments.

However, many people find it difficult to consistently allocate time each day due to work, family, and other responsibilities.

Weekends typically offer more flexibility for activities, including exercise. Suppose we could gain the same advantages from daily exercise by concentrating those 150 to 210 weekly minutes over just Saturday and Sunday.

A recent study indicates that it's unnecessary to distribute the recommended exercise duration evenly across the week.

According to Medical News Today, "weekend warriors" might achieve similar benefits from their concentrated exercise efforts as those who spread their workouts throughout the week.

Here's the start of the story:

Research suggests that individuals who complete most of their exercise over one or two days per week may experience comparable cognitive benefits—such as reduced risk of dementia and Parkinson’s disease—to those who exercise regularly throughout the week.

Experts affirm that engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) weekly is linked to significant health benefits. Yet, many find it challenging to schedule exercise during hectic weeks.

An extensive observational study published in Nature Aging reveals that concentrating most physical activity on just two days—like the weekend—yields the same health benefits, particularly regarding brain health.

The study aims to explore an under-researched area: the timing and distribution of the recommended levels of MVPA.

Depending on one’s schedule, these two days might not necessarily be the weekend.

The key takeaway is that, according to the study, individuals can ease up on physical activity during busier days and compensate for it when they have more free time.

Source: dallasexpress

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.