Research suggests that to reduce the risk of dementia, seniors should engage in these activities outdoors

A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that gardening may help aging adults stay sharp later in life.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that gardening in old age is associated with “small but noticeable cognitive benefits.”

The long-term study followed participants who shared details of their lifestyles and completed “frequent assessments” of their thinking skills until they were 90 years old.

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The Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 study included people born in the Edinburgh area from the age of 11. Participants regularly took an intelligence test known as the Scottish Mental Survey of 1932.

Hundreds of participants aged 79 took the same exam.

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Of the 467 participants, 31% had never gardened, and 43% regularly.

The results showed that 280 people who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “greater improvements in cognitive ability over the lifespan compared to those who never or rarely gardened.”

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From ages 79 to 90, participants’ cognitive abilities, including memory, problem solving and word fluency, generally declined, but the researchers found that “the gardeners’ previous advantage remained.”

Study co-author Dr. Janie Corley wrote in a press release that identifying behaviors that “facilitate healthy cognitive aging is in the public interest in preventing cognitive decline and dementia.”

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“Gardening is a key leisure activity in late adulthood,” she said. “Engaging in gardening projects, learning about plants, and general garden care involve complex cognitive processes such as memory and executive function.”

She continued: “Consistent with the ‘use it or lose it’ principle of cognitive function, greater involvement in gardening may be directly associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.”

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Bow. Azza Halim, an anti-aging specialist, noted that gardening has been studied as an anti-aging activity for seniors, providing physical, mental and emotional benefits, including longevity and cognitive function.

Gardening is also considered a “low-impact exercise” that benefits heart and circulatory health, the doctor added.

“It provides mental stimulation to reduce cognitive decline and supports the mind and emotions well-beingrelaxation and reduced anxiety,” she said.

“At any age, it’s important to engage in physical and social activity to stay young, and especially in your later years to prevent high blood pressure, depression, weight gain and cognitive decline.”

The researchers noted that their work could not show a direct correlation between gardening and improved cognitive abilities because factors such as available greenery and social interactions may have influenced these results.

The research is supported by the Biotechnology and Life Sciences Research Council and the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Scottish Department of Health Executive.

Fox News Digital has reached out to researchers for comment.

Original article source: Research suggests that to reduce the risk of dementia, seniors should engage in these activities outdoors