The British Journal of Sports Medicine has published a study that finds being consistently physically active in adulthood is linked to a 30-40% lower risk of death from any cause in later life. This means that even if you haven’t been active throughout your life, it’s never too late to start moving more and reap the benefits. In fact, switching to a more active lifestyle at any point in adult life may extend your lifespan.

The study analyzed data from 85 studies that measured physical activity at two or more points in time. The results showed that consistently active people had around a 30-40% lower risk of dying from any cause, while those who increased their levels of physical activity from below the recommended levels had a 20-25% lower risk of death from any cause.

The researchers also found that generally, the associations observed between a high level of physical activity and a lower risk of death were more evident for cardiovascular disease than for cancer. However, the evidence for the associations between physical activity patterns and death from a specific cause remained inconclusive, especially for death from cancer.

Despite these limitations, the study’s findings have important public health implications. The researchers emphasize the importance of sustained physical activity over time and suggest that future interventions may not only target inactive people but also support active people to maintain their activity.

In conclusion, this study highlights the power of movement in adding years to your life. Whether you’re 20 or 60, it’s never too late to start exercising regularly and reap the benefits for your overall health and well-being. So, get moving and make physical activity a priority in your life!

Exercise Your Way: How Matching Workouts to Personality Can Boost Motivation and Results

Finding motivation to exercise can be a significant challenge for many people. In fact, less than a quarter of individuals achieve the recommended activity levels set by the World Health Organization. However, what if working out could be more enjoyable? A recent study suggests that exercising in ways that fit our personalities may hold the key to making physical activity more engaging and effective.

Researchers in the UK conducted an experiment where participants were divided into two groups: one received a home-based fitness plan consisting of cycling and strength training, while the other continued with their usual routine. Throughout the eight-week intervention, both groups completed questionnaires about their exercise experiences. The researchers examined various personality traits, including extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness.

The study found that individuals’ personalities influenced how they engaged with exercise and which types of physical activity they enjoyed most. For instance:

* People scoring high on extraversion tended to enjoy high-intensity sessions with others, such as team sports.
* Those with high levels of neuroticism preferred private workouts, taking short breaks between high-intensity exercises.
* Individuals with high conscientiousness and openness were found to engage in exercise regardless of whether they enjoyed it or were driven by curiosity.

One notable finding was the strong reduction in stress among participants who scored high on neuroticism after completing the intervention. This suggests that exercising can be an effective way to alleviate stress, particularly for those who struggle with anxiety.

The researchers emphasized the importance of finding physical activities that individuals enjoy and not being discouraged if they don’t immediately find it. They hope that by matching workouts to personality, people will be more motivated to engage in regular exercise, leading to better overall health and well-being.

“When you find a workout that suits your personality, you’re more likely to stick with it and see the results you desire,” says Dr. Flaminia Ronca from University College London’s Institute of Sport, Exercise, and Health. “By exercising in ways that bring us joy, we can reduce stress, improve our physical health, and feel more confident about our bodies.”

The recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience sheds light on the brain’s decision-making process when individuals feel mentally exhausted. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University used functional MRI imaging to examine how two areas of the brain, the right insula and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, work together to react to and possibly regulate mental fatigue.

The experiments involved 28 healthy adult volunteers who performed memory tasks while undergoing subsequent MRI scans of their brains. The participants were given feedback on their performance and opportunities to receive increasing payments based on their performance and choices. The test results found increased activity and connectivity in both brain areas when participants reported cognitive fatigue, with activity levels more than twice the level of baseline measurements taken before starting the tests.

The study’s lead researcher, Vikram Chib, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, notes that the findings may provide a way for physicians to better evaluate and treat people who experience overwhelming mental exhaustion, including those with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Chib and his research team found that financial incentives need to be high in order for participants to exert increased cognitive effort, suggesting that external incentives prompt such effort. The two areas of the brain may be working together to decide to avoid more cognitive effort unless there are more incentives offered.

The study’s findings have implications for understanding fatigue-related conditions and developing treatments. Chib notes that it may be possible to use medication or cognitive behavior therapy to combat cognitive fatigue, and the current study using decision tasks and functional MRI could be a framework for objectively classifying cognitive fatigue.

Overall, the study provides new insights into the brain’s decision-making process when individuals feel mentally exhausted, highlighting the importance of understanding the neural circuits involved in cognitive effort and fatigue.