Any type of exercise is a good prevention method for dementia. Simply the increased bloodflow in the body will carry much-needed oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which nourishes the brain and keeps deterioration at bay. Having said that, not everybody is suited for running marathons or high-impact aerobic activity. Even for those who want to be able to exercise at that level, there is a way to approach the goal without subjecting the body to a punishing regimen.

Yoga is a very practical approach to the physical activity portion of dementia prevention. The low-impact exercise is very suitable for those who are older or in not-great shape, or both. Prolonged yoga practice will eventually build the muscles that help with other exercises that require stamina and endurance. It’s the perfect gateway exercise for higher-impact sports.

An underestimated benefit to yoga is the breathwork that maximizes the stretching. The mistake that many people make with breathing is that it is so automatic and often shallow, the oxygen is not actually reaching the deeper muscle tissue – including brain tissue. This prolonged (lifetime, really) duration of depriving the brain is what eventually contributes to degeneration.

Another benefit is the mental concentration that goes with properly forming and sustaining the yoga poses. Other forms of exercise (jogging, running, swimming) can often become mindless activity. Do them anyway because they are delivering blood throughout the body, but yoga trains the mind to focus and be aware of the changes going on in the body. It’s the ultimate mind-body connection that can be the saviour to preventing mental health.