Simple housework could help prevent dementia by increasing the size of our brains, says a new study . Canadian scientists found that older adults who spent more time doing housework had larger brains, a factor in cognitive health.
These tasks, which include cleaning, tidying up, cooking, heavy housework, and gardening , could exercise the human brain and prevent the condition.
Dementia is a general term used to describe a category of symptoms marked by changes in behavior and a gradual decline in cognitive and social abilities. Researchers note that Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias top the world’s most prevalent and costly medical conditions. The prevention and treatment of these disorders have been considered a public health priority by the World Health Organization.
Worldwide, around 50 million people suffer from this disease and there are almost 10 million new cases each year, according to the WHO. Alzheimer’s disease, which slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, can contribute 60% to 70% of dementia cases .
Dementia decreases by cleaning the dust and making food
Although there is much evidence that recreational physical activity influences brain health, the effects of more mundane daily activities, such as cleaning, have so far been less understood, according to scientists.
Highlighting the benefits of housework can motivate older adults to be more active by ” providing a more realistic and low-risk form of physical activity ,” they say. ” Scientists already know that exercise has a positive impact on the brain, but our study is the first to show that the same can be true for housework, ” said study author Noah Koblinsky.
” Understanding how different forms of physical activity contribute to brain health is critical to developing strategies that reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults .”
The researchers looked at links between housework, brain volume, and cognition in a group of 66 cognitively healthy older adults ages 65 to 85. Participants attended three assessment visits at Baycrest Hospital in Toronto, including a health assessment, structural brain imaging, and cognitive assessment.
Participants were asked about the time they spent on household chores, such as tidying up, dusting, preparing and cleaning food, shopping, heavy housework, gardening and DIY, home repairs and care.
The researchers found that older adults who spent more time participating in such activities had greater brain volume , regardless of how long they were doing more strenuous forms of physical exercise (such as running). This was seen in the hippocampus , which plays an important role in memory and learning, and in the frontal lobe, which is involved in many aspects of cognition.
Housework keeps older people active
Scientists have suggested three explanations for the brain benefits of physical activity at home.
First, heart health is closely related to brain health, and it could be that housework has a similar effect on the heart and blood vessels as low-intensity aerobic exercise .
Second, the planning and organization involved in housework can promote the formation of new neural connections in the brain over time, even as we age.
Lastly, older adults who participated in more housework may have spent less time inactive, which has been shown to be linked to negative health outcomes, including poor brain health.
The researchers would like to assess physical activity at home more objectively using wearable technology. With additional funding, they could also plan controlled trials with the goal of increasing people’s domestic activity and studying brain changes over time.
