House Cleaning & Your Brain

1 min

You may not think that running the vacuum, doing the dishes or scrubbing the floor accomplishes more than shaping up your living quarters, but a new study suggests it can be as good for your brain as physical exercise. The research published in the journal BMC Geriatrics found that older adults who spent the most time on household chores showed greater brain size, a strong predictor of cognitive health. Lead author Noah Koblinsky said the study is the first to show that performing household chores may have the same positive effect on the brain as exercise. These findings come from a study that looked at links between housework, brain volume and cognition in a group of 66 cognitively healthy seniors living in the community.

The researchers noted that household chores might have a similar effect on the heart and blood vessels as low-intensity aerobic exercise. In addition, they suggested that the planning and organization involved in house cleaning might promote the formation of new neural connections over time. Another plus: the more time you spend on household chores, the less time you’re sedentary (inactivity is detrimental to health regardless of age and has been linked to poor brain function.)

Find more information on natural house cleaning alternatives.

Source:
Noah Koblinsky et al, “Household physical activity is positively associated with gray matter volume in older adults,” BMC Geriatrics, February 5, 2021.

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