Mind-Body Activities

  EVERYDAY HEALTH has reported on 32 random, controlled tests with 3,624 participants. The age range of the participants was 50 – 85. 18 of the studies looked at the cognitive awareness in healthy older adults and 14 studies were of the cognitive awareness of older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

  The researchers pooled and grouped the individual results and rated them for intended results, along with time needed to get effective outcomes.

 The battery of test consisted of several therapies that used both mind and body at the same time. The activities were tai chi, different dance styles, and Pilates.

  The outcomes found that mind-body activities, especially tai chi and dance, improved global cognition, cognitive flexibility, working memory, and learning, in both the cognitively healthy older adults and mildly cognitively impaired older adults. The research also found that moderate intensity, 60 -120 minutes per week, is the recommended time for activities.