If You Can Walk This Fast After 70, Your Brain Is Aging Slower Than 90% of Peers
Getting your steps in every day is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. But your brain is benefiting a great deal as well. According to research, walking at least a mile per day can significantly improve the volume of several areas of the brain, including your frontal lobe, which plays a key role in problem-solving and reasoning. In fact, the study shows that by walking that distance each day, you can lower your risk of cognitive impairment by roughly 50%. The best part? You can walk a mile pretty easily and reap so much goodness.
But where does walking speed come into play? We spoke with an expert who says if you can walk this fast after 70, your brain is aging slower than 90% of your peers. So why are you still sitting? Lace up your sneakers and head outdoors for a stroll. Your mind and body will thank you later.
Why Walking Speed Is a Solid Indicator of Healthy Aging
Walking speed may be the most essential indicator of healthy aging because it’s impacted by all bodily systems, including your muscles, brain, lungs, heart, and nervous system.
“It has been consistently demonstrated in the literature that as people age, those who maintain faster natural walking speeds typically have better cognitive functioning and lower risk of disability, hospitalization, and death compared to their peers. It’s important to note that this does not suggest that faster walking is a causal factor for slower brain aging; however, it provides a simple measure of someone’s overall physical health,” explains Dr. Mariam Zakhary, DO, Clinical Advisor of Ikon Recovery Center, located in New Jersey, who’s double board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Sports Medicine.
The Ideal Walking Speed To Aim for if You’re Over 70
Instead of focusing on a specific speed, Dr. Zakhary recommends that adults 70+ should aim for a brisk walking pace that allows them to “speak but not sing.”
“As a general rule, individuals who normally walk at approximately 1.2 to 1.4 meters/second (or roughly 2.7 to 3.1 miles/hour) are generally characterized as being physically fit enough to support ‘healthy’ aging, although the exact best speed for each person will vary depending on their present level of physical fitness and mobility,” she explains.
How to Safely Increase Your Walking Speed
If your goal is to bump up your walking speed safely, it’s important to do it in small increments. For instance, interval walking requires you to alternate between one to two minutes of walking briskly with slower walking. This can help improve your cardiovascular fitness.
“Increasing strength in your hip flexors, glutes, calves, and core and performing balance exercises typically results in improved efficiency and confidence while walking,” Dr. Zakhary adds.
Caveats
Dr. Zakhary stresses that walking should not be your sole form of exercise. You should also be mindful of including progressive overload in every walk.
“While walking is a great form of exercise, like any other form of physical activity, it needs to be supported by at least twice weekly resistance training, daily balance training, and daily stretching/flexibility training,” Dr. Zakhary says.
In addition, switch things up. Your routine shouldn’t be the same comfortable walk each day. Consider walking a little longer or tackle more challenging terrain.
“Like any type of exercise, the body gets used to doing something after a period of time; therefore, to continue improving, you need to provide your body with some new stimulus (i.e., increased distance/intensity/challenge),” Dr. Zakhary shares.