Typically when you see your doctor, you might leave with a prescription for medication to address a specific problem. Or, you might receive a prescription for physical therapy to get you a limited number of sessions to help with some physical discomfort. But what you’re not likely to receive- but which may be the best prescription of all- is a “prescription” to exercise, for both physical and cognitive well-being. That’s the conclusion of a new study out of Canada, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. According to the study authors, who carefully reviewed existing research on exercise and aging well, 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week for older adults (recommended by both Canadian and US health experts) can reduce all-cause mortality by 31% (compared to those who do not engage in exercise) and can lower your risk of up to 30 chronic conditions, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer, along with such cognitive and mental health concerns as dementia and depression. This moderate level of regular exercise can help prevent these ailments, or at a minimum reduce their severity, and help improve your functional independence. As one of the study experts made clear, “Physical activity is an essential but underutilized strategy for aging well. 

Some may wonder whether this clear recommendation of regular physical activity would apply to all older adults. Those who have become frail or physically impaired may worry about the risk of injury from exercise. While acknowledging that disability or other physical constraints may require some modification of exercise (at least initially), experts make clear that those with frailty or impairment should embrace exercise, given the array of health benefits that result from regular movement. One expert puts that risk of injury into perspective for those who are reluctant: “There is always a (small) risk of injury or exacerbation of symptoms of their condition, and/or risk of cardiovascular event. However, similar (and often greater) risks exist with pharmaceutical and surgical modalities, and the benefits of physical activity on health generally outweigh the risks. Often, physical activity is used as a successful adjunct to other treatment modalities.”

As with any new activity, the advice is to start slow and build up the time and effort of your exercise routine until you reach the recommended 150 minutes. What types of exercise should be a part of your plan? In consultation with your physician or an exercise professional, you’ll want to engage in strength training, mobility work (often yoga or pilates are valuable for mobility), balance exercises, and cardiovascular activities to exercise your heart (walking or swimming come to mind). The CDC also has some valuable advice on what counts as good exercise for older adults. And if your heart says okay but your head says no way, how do you convince yourself to embrace exercise and physical movement? NPR has a recent “Life Kit” comic to help you find the attitude to take this on. Some of the recommendations? You can break up the 150 minutes into 5 days a week of just 30 minutes- or even smaller increments (like 10 minutes at a time for 3 times a day) if that works better for you. One other way to up your effort? Pick up the pace and rigor of physical activities you’re already doing, like cleaning the house, walking the dog, or shopping at the market. Or, as Washington Post health columnist Gretchen Reynolds has embraced, try doing “fartleks,” which is a Swedish concept for informally inserting challenging intervals into your normal routines, like a brisk 30-second speed walk amid your usual morning stroll. You can find out more about this concept here and listen to her describe her own “fartleks” in this recent podcast.

Want even more proof that exercise equals healthier aging? A few new studies out of Britain- one from the University of Birmingham and one from University College London – both support the value of exercise for cognitive health, including lowering the risk of dementia, even if your brain shows evidence of the amyloid plaque build-up typically found in Alzheimer’s along with brain shrinkage. This was found to be especially true among older women. Ultimately, then, it’s hard to argue against the benefits to be derived for your body, brain, and mental health with a regular physical exercise routine. There’s just no way around the fact that physical activity is essential in allowing us to age healthier today and for a better quality of life going forward.