Changes of season can definitely impact my exercise routine.
In the spring and summer, when it’s no longer dark when I wake up or getting dark when I get out of work, conditions are definitely more conducive for running.
During the winter, I make use of the stair-stepper downstairs, but sometimes I get busy and decide that tomorrow would do just as well.
But then ANOTHER new study comes along showing the importance of exercise.
Not that I didn’t already know the benefits of exercise for decreasing stress levels and improving all sorts of physical health measurements.
But now telomeres are involved. What is a telomere?
You might remember that a couple of years ago, several scientists won a Nobel prize in medicine for the discovery of their function.
Telomeres reside at the end of chromosomes in order to protect them from deterioration. When cells replicate, telomeres are cut and become increasingly shorter. If the telomere becomes too short, it dies or at the very least becomes dormant.
Many researchers now use telomere length to determine cell age.
Two recent studies, out of the University of Colorado (Thomas LaRocca) and Germany (Christian Werner), measure the effects of long-term exercise on telomere length, with some interesting results.
They found that young people, regardless of how active they were, have basically the same length of telomere.
The marked changes come only later when looking at middle-aged people (folks like me.)
Middle aged folks who were sedentary had telomeres that were about 40% shorter on average than young folks, even the sedentary young ones.
Those who maintained physical activity had not only higher aerobic capacities but also longer telomeres. Actually, their telomere lengths were only slightly shorter than that of youthful exercisers.
So next time you think of putting off your exercise regimen, think of your telomeres and improving the health of your cells. And improved cell health has so many implications for brain cells and their capacity for neuroplasticity.
Have you recommended exercise to your clients as a way to boost brain health? What are some ways you’ve found to motivate them to adopt a regular exercise routine? Please leave a comment below.
I think that community is, by far, the best motivator. I have taught movement all of my adult life and my students show up more for the social aspect than for the fitness benefits. The bonus is that it’s good for you physically and mentally. And once you develop the discipline to ‘show up’ on a regular basis, you’ve formed a habit. Change your body, change your brain.
I have always been active and exercised all my life. I am 68 and make it to the gym a minimum of four days a week. When not lifting weights or spinning I am usually hiking or working on my property. I work full time but always find time to exercise even if doing push-ups and stretching routines. When the time is right I speak to my clients about the benefits of staying active and enjoying what the Lord has given us. Faith and the knowledge and feelings of spirituality are essential for both physical and mental growth. Thank you Ruth and all of your contributors for allowing me the opportunities to continue stimulating and increasing my mental health and knowledge.
Dear Ruth,
I took part in Tara Brach’s on line course.
I am benefiting from knowing that PTS can be healed thru exercise, meditation, yoga music,
massage all of which is helping me. I am 74 a grandmother of 8 and have always exercised.
The work of people like u bringing so much to my attention ( Bessel Van der Kolk)
bringing all this out into the open has been a breath of fresh air.
Carol
good stuff
Perhaps fasting if exercise is not possible?
Is there anyway to lengthen the telomeres without having to do a lot of exercise, which I find very hard to do, I can stretch and I eat healthy. Is there anything that can keep them from shortening Besides exercise?
tai chi and or ji kung I beliefe there is something to the progenitor cell lines in that field also. what is aclled “the immortal foetus”.
dance, romp in the pool, walk the dog, go to the zoo…. expand your definition of exercise and it won’t seem hard 🙂
Interesting information. Thank you for sharing. While I often emphasize the importance of exercise with clients, I do plan to include this new information appropriately in my counseling practice.
But that doesn’t imply that you can lengthen your telomeres by **beginning** to exercise, after having been sedentary, does it? It just seems to say that you can keep from shortening them if you **continue** to exercise, which is not everyone’s situation — or a universal prescription, it would seem. Only if you’re already active, in which case don’t quit.
I believe it would also indicate that if you start exercising now you would slow down further degeneration of Telomere length
Fascinating. One more reason for me to get in shape!
THANKS FOR THIS INFORMATION.
I KNOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR HAVING TAUGHT MOVEMENT FOR YEARS, AND, OF COURSE, FOR EXERCISING MYSELF.
WHEN I WAS TEACHING LANGUAGES ONE ON ONE TO BUSY PEOPLE, OFTEN THEY WOULD COME UP WITH A PLAN TO MAXIMIZE THEIR LEARNING. INVARIABLY, SUCH PLAN WOULD INVOLVE CUTTING DOWN, OR EVEN ELIMINATING COMPLETELY, THEIR EXERCISE TIME. I HAVE ALSO SEEN SUCH RESPONSE FROM PARENTS WHEN THEIR KIDS NEEDED THE TUTORING I WAS OR WOULD BE PROVIDING.
MY RESPONSE WAS ALWAYS THE SAME: KEEP UP MOVING, EXERCISING, TRAINING PHYSICALLY… AND SPEND LESS TIME STUDYING. YOUR BRAIN WILL GET MORE BLOOD AND WILL FUNCTION BETTER, AND YOU WILL LEARN MORE, FASTER, AND BETTER TOO.
EVERY TIME, A STUDENT WILL HAVE THEIR LESSON WITH ME AFTER EXERCISING, THIS QUALITY FROM AN INCREASE IN THE BLOOD FLOW TO THE HEAD WOULD SHOW IN THEIR LEARNING AND BEHAVIOUR. THE PRIVATE LESSON WAS MORE FUN AND A WELCOME ADDITION TO THEIR LIVE, NOT ONE MORE DEMANDING TASK TO FIT INTO THEIR OVERLOADED SCHEDULE.
THIS HAD LEAD ME TO INCLUDE PHYSICAL MOVEMENT AND EXERCISE IN MY TEACHING LANGUAGE. MANY STUDENTS, OR PARENTS OF YOUNG STUDENTS, REACTED NEGATIVELY AT FIRST (I EVEN GOT DISMISSED ONCE. ONE OF THE RESULTS WAS THAT THE KID FAILED HIS SCHOOL YEAR AND HAD TO DO IT AGAIN. HE ALSO HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF), BUT GRADUALLY THEY BEGAN TO REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF SUCH PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH AND HOW IT WOULD FIND ITS NATURALLY PLACE IN LANGUAGE LEARNING.
I HAVE SEEN THE BENEFITS OF MOVEMENT AND EXERCISING IN MY ACTING AND TEACHING IT. STAGE FRIGHT GOES AWAY ON ITS OWN, IF ONE IS WARMED UP WITH APPROPRIATE EXERCISES FOR THE PLAY OR FILM OR SHOW.
AND IF LIFE IS A STAGE, LIKE ONE GREAT DRAMATIST WROTE, EXERCISING HELPS MAKE IT LESS A FOOL’S GAME AND MORE A FUN ONE.
Found your comment extremely interesting, regarding exercise pre-learning, thanks for explaining, seems so obvious now you’ve said it, but I hadn’t registered it before!
I understand the importance of exercise. Up to 12 years ago I was a full-time teacher, worked out, soaked, rode my bike…then got pneumonia & never recovered …to finally be diagnosed with chronic fatigue.
My daily challenge….most days I wake up aching & fatigued. Extra emotional,physical ,mental stress & I crash….which means a day in bed sleeping. Added to this is depression.
I try & walk my dog everyday….mostly 20 minutes but sometimes up to 40 minutes.
I attend recuperate yoga…..
So when I read articles like this …which is wonderful & interesting…..for me it adds to my fear.
Am I just going to wither away?
Hi fellow friend baking CF. I have found that having a gluten free and dairy free live, particularly processed sugar free has saved me. Yes I Still have CF, however I am so much better with no chest infections, flue, colds, bronchial pneumonia in two years and two months since changing my diet. I lost the bulk of my excess weight and are within normal weight range now. I need to start doing yoga and other exercises but am putting my energy into decluttering. Clutter for me adds to CF. I think lots of things influence it. Particularly past glandular fever and cytomeglavirus. All the best I get how you feel. Hope is a way I survive. I have hope I will heal.
Sorry. Some spelling mistakes in my message above. All the best.
Hello Lynda, sorry to hear you’re not well. I had chronic fatigue for 7 years and never thought I would recover. I was/am an class a personality and very driven. The trick to getting myself well was to change o r try to chan ge or keep in check that bit of my character. my driven self would always override what my body was telling me.iI stopped comparing what I did to others, my body had been under stress and anxiety for years and it takes a long time to recover. Do what you can, listen to any fatigue that sets in and stop, don’t push through it. Gradually you’re body will begin to trust that you are listening to it. This also includes your emotional self . If you feel stressed etc in a certain situation try and remove yourself from it. Good luck!
I appreciate this information , because personally , I have put off my exercising three times this week and this comes as a reminder to stay on target.In addition I don’t think anything happens by accident so I know that this is a reminder that we have the ability to change things in our lives that we don’t like and make them better,. I will share this information for the spiritual community that I am involved in as well as my clinical practice. Thank you again
I love the continuing evidence that an active lifestyle is the healthiest. It feels better too.
Thank you
Thank you for sharing this research. Now I wonder if Telomere length can be increased with exercise or if this is a one way progression.
Thank you for the interesting report. Age 84, I stopped driving a year ago…a civic and safety gesture I believe. I now walk more than I have for some time. I enjoy walking about 9 to 12 kilometres a week and feel that I’m better physically. Perhaps my telomeres benefit from this.
Interesting and motivational. Thank you!
Thank you Ruth, always great to be reminded that a daily routine is actually benefitting my brain. I have 10 grandchildren that interact with and keeping up or at least trying to keep up with their level of activity also helps. I practice TCM and teach Qigong which I know helps my telomeres. Blessings Christiana
I have been sedentary for the last year due to health issues. Now that I am recovering I am back to the treadmill at the gym and hope to get back into water aerobics soon. Can telomeres grow or are they stuck to being shortened from lack of exercise in the past year
Great information, and a definite motivated for me! Thank you!
Doctor at NDBC diagnose is “Post Concussion Syndrome” Don’t know how long this will last, Personal Trainer at YMCA said she worked with another woman with Concussion who took 4 yrs to completely recover. I wonder if there are other things i could do to help me recover ?
Before 2013, i was participating in Yoga, Zumba, Body Flow classes with no problems. Also hiking with the Minnesota Barefoot Hikers on 2 or 3 miles hikes barefoot. January 2013, i was stopped at a yield sign, a young girl rear-ended my car, then poor balance and other problems started, Dr. sent me to NDBC, and has sent me there 3 times now, each time for 10-15 appointments. Never regained my balance to where i had been. 2015…June, my back got bad, caused by pinched nerve, did MRI of my back, had to walk with walker 2-3 weeks, but after about 1 week i started walking with my Nordic Poles at home ( i could stand straighter with them) and took them along when a friend picked me up to go to the YMCA, at first walked the track 1-2 times around gradually increased to 13 times around which is 1 mile, but walking with my Poles. Now at home usually walk without Poles. My goal is to get back to where i was before she rear-ended my car. I feel so much better when i exercise. I’m 77 years young.
Dancing, and there are many classes out there that you can turn up solo, is an excellent form of exercise and socialisation as well.
I have complex PTSD and had emotional disregulation disorder from childhood trauma and neglect. Exercise is the most effective self-management tool I have used over the years (I’m 59). Exercise reduces stress, increases feelings of well-being, facilitates healthy mind-body connection, increases energy, decreases anxiety, reduces depression, releases anger and negative feelings, clears the mind, facilitates a more positive perspective, re-sets mood, ensures deeper and more relaxed sleep …. and it can be done with no or minimal cost. Now that I’m older, it reduces aches and pains, boosts energy, and keeps my body and mind healthy and fit. People are shocked when they find out my age. This after 40 years of alcohol and cigarette addictions (free of both now).
Walking, running, swimming, cycling, skipping rope, an aerobics or yoga class or video, stretching, running on the spot, taking stairs instead of elevators, walking instead of bus or car, bowling, baseball, skating, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, etc. There are many exercise lessons and programs free on YouTube. Start very gently with short and easy exercise, and slowly step up activities by small increments over time.
Exercise is the healthiest and most effective self-management tool in my tool box.
Thank you for sharing your research results and providing a forum for discussion.
Diet is also important. Check out the research on a whole foods plant based diet. My stamina at 60 is better than many half my age.
I know that exercise is so good for people who struggle with anxiety and depression. I tell them if they only did some form of aerobic exercise 3 to 5 days a week, that it would act as a mild anti-depressant. Not only that but as this article bears out…it is all around healthy for your body as well as your brain. Thank-you for sharing.
compelling !
as aphasia and yoga teacher I encourage it. this is another good argument to support it As many of us find a routine difficult even when we know it is effective
Hi Ruth,
Thanks for the research highlight. I’m curious to know whether a distinction can be made between the effects of trauma on telomere length versus a shortening due to inactivity – can one be distinguished from the other? For example, would someone who has had a history of complex trauma but who is physically active have longer telomeres? Thanks!
I always emphasize that exercise helps burn off stress chemicals and releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel good drug. This will give me another selling point. Thank you.
I wonder what “HOPE” does for the length of telomeres. The best news in the past several years is that the brain is a plastic. That we are not done until we are. That with mindfulness we can begin again and again, right now where we are. Don’t ever give up has new meaning for me. And What Else is Possible is totally exciting. So come on little telomeres and give us a new burst of life’s ever becoming energy!! The clay has not reached the final shape~
Yes, meditation, too, helps preserve the telomeres by improving well being and
increasing telomerase activity.
Thanks so much again…this will impress a client!
Mindfulness , Appropriate exercises/movements and 3 minute breath space meditation (dr jon-kabat -zinn), visualization are some of the mind body techniques are very helpful.
Hi!
Thanks for your focus on better health — the brain science webinars have exceeded my expectations!
I’m not “actively” doing clinical Social Work at present, but dedicated to sharing that Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn (Nobel winner for telomere study) and colleagues are collaborating with Shaklee Corp to help us all match health span to life span through nutrition and lifestyle. (It seems that those of us taking a wide range of Shaklee’s quality supplements over a long period have longer telomeres…)
If you are curious to know more, please email me at HlthyWlthy@aol.com and I can send the latest study in pdf format.
Sally Klein, MSW. LCSW, Colorado
not only that…
“”We already know that psychosocial interventions like mindfulness meditation will help you feel better mentally, but now for the first time we have evidence that they can also influence key aspects of your biology,” lead researcher Dr. Linda Carlson of the Tom Baker Cancer Center at Albert Health Services, said in a statement.
Publishing in the journal Cancer, Carlson and team found that telomeres (DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes) were longer among a group of breast cancer survivors who had a mindfulness practice or participated in a support group, compared to survivors who didn’t have these interventions.
Telomeres are pieces of DNA at the end of every cell’s chromosomes that protect the integrity of its genetic information. As cells divide, telomeres shed some of their length. In other words, telomeres shorten with age and are often associated with diseases such as cancer. Telomere length is also associated with breast cancer outcomes, reported the researchers, and longer telomeres are generally considered a sign of good health.”
(How Meditation Can Help Protect The Body After Cancer – The Huffington Post | By Carolyn Gregoire)
I find that mental preparation prior to commencing physical activity has a significant effect on the outcome. I have found that by visualizing myself at the end of an exercise session, and holding a feeling of relief that comes with the cessation of strenuous physical exercise, enables me to start quicker and last longer during the session. In addition I am not as tired when I stop the exercise.
Chanting! For sure that changes the brain. It’s a natural high. It’s fun and has been a brain-changing practice ever since the sages and seers in ancient India introduced chanting to those who arrived at their feet in India, and now all over the world. It puts one in a different vibrational environment on the outside and inside. As a meditation teacher I end each class with a chant, and everyone leaves filled with joy!
I do suggest exercise to my clients. One is able to hire a personal trainer and really is seeing some benefit! Of course it does not take a persona trainer but… that can’t hurt! Thanks for this great service! Wow, Michel L. is super inspiring, I need to up my exercise! I do 10 minutes of high intensity yoga 4-5 days a week and a bit more walking or swimming here and there. In the summer I will paddle board more!
Best,
Bridget
For many years I have joked that every time I get the idea that I need more exercise, I go lie down until it goes away. While not the literal truth, it’s true enough that I have ramped up my ownexercising. I am sure my telomeres will thank me for it. Fact is, I recommend exercise to any and every client that presents with mood disorder symptoms, especially for those who wish to avoid the medication alternative. Lots of research supports the idea that regular exercise (4x/week) which maintains your heart rate at 75%of its maximum for 45 minutes boosts circulating levels of monoamine NT’s. It did seem somewhat incongruous that a middle aged therapist with more “Molson Muscle” (a Canadian euphemism for beer belly) than he should have, was telling people to get more exercise. Practice what you preach, I guess. As far as motivating clients, I don’t look for commitment in session, but I do ask them if they would be wiling to try an experiment, which consists of mindful awareness to one’s physical/mental states before, during, and after said exercise. The results usually speak for themselves, and the clients create their own commitment. Follow-up sessions ask “What got better as a result?”, and builds form there.
Liked!
I think some of us are just born slugs! I’ve followed many exercise programs over the years and tried all kinds to appeal to my interests, such as dancing. The truth is, at 64 I’m much happier curled up with a good book or plucking weeds from my garden than walking a few miles on a day off. I have an exceptionally clean, nutritious diet, take supplements, meditate, do art, am social, hang out in nature, and feel joy and gratitude every day. (I think there is some telomere lengthening in all of that.) I just have a hard time keeping my body moving throughout the day. I’ve read that sitting more than 3 hours a day is bad for our hearts. Now it’s an even bigger challenge since my job requires me to sit with clients. Despite knowing all of this, it continues to feel like an uphill endeavor to make exercise a foundational part of my daily routine. Perhaps I’ll look into Tabata …
I’m surprised you didn’t mention the research in the last few years on how meditation slows the deterioration of telomeres? And good food choices. I.e., life style matters. And there are now some reputable supplements designed to specifically slow the deterioration of telomeres, if not help them renew. The fountain of life?
I am 61 years old in May and have been a runner and weight trainer since I was 15. As I have neared my sixties I have tended to run less, walk more and weight train less. My resting heart rate averages around 48 to 52 which alarms some doctors and actually caused one to refer me to a specialist. After hours of wasted hospital time and treadmill tests the specialist concluded that my heart is healthy and the suspected bradycardia was actually a positive result of years of exercise. Last May I injured a calf muscle and gave up exercise for six weeks. My resting heart rate went up into the 60 ‘s. When I returned to exercise I decided to try Tabata and was absolutely amazed at the results. In a few short weeks of just 10 minutes 3 times a week I returned to a resting heart rate below 50. My heart rate variance which had for two years averaged 72 went up into the 80’s! ( a good level for a sixty years old is around 50-60, this experience changed my whole lifetime view of what effects can be gained from exercise. I now encourage clients who do not like exercise to after being medically checked out, do Some form of Tabata! I recently repeated these results after stopping exercise due to health related issues and am nearly back to full fitness. The only downside of Tabata is that it takes so little time to complete that it seems hardly worth changing into your gym wear! Also it only uses about 100 calories.
What is tabata:
Best to mix your exercises every other day and leave at least one day for rest. Running on pavement is really not that great for hips and knees at our age – better in water with a float belt to keep your feet off the pool floor, and provide good resistance which gives you more strength. Don’t count on pavement running or even track running to bring down weight; brisk walking does this much better. At least half an hour or more at least 3 times a week will give you both a slight aerobic edge, increase your endurance, and not punish your joints. And to protect your telomeres, don’t overdo anything because then you are stressing your system rather than mildly challenging it. Consistency and moderation are your friends. I can attest to this, becoming 80 this year and looking way younger than I am. Yep I have great telomeres!
Thank you Robin! Excellent comments. I have also learned that moderation is essential for sustainability. I run, bike, hike, and do yoga (FYI- yoga has also been studied for its positive effects on telemeres!).
I love telomeres also. I am 62 years old, do 45 minutes of yoga in my office everyday before I start to see clients and run 5 miles in the woods with my 2 labs 4 x a week. I feel like a pup!
Thank you Roger Elliott for further inf.
Hi Lori –I finally had a mutine to read this and am glad that I did. I was active as a kid but college… things slowed down. Then I moved to Europe where walking and being outside are more just a part of life than actually a focus on exercising. I loved it and brought that aspect of the lifestyle home with me. Since then, I walk everywhere – my daughter walks everywhere and has throughout her life. She is one of those that can actually claim to have walked to school in feet of snow up hill both ways!! (for over a mile) Both of us find that we don’t get out and walk, we just aren’t the same. Perhaps it is a bit of an addiction? But the exercise bounds us and keeps us connected to the world itself (we exercise outside). We miss it when it isn’t part of our day. My daughter also has me running again on nice days (she is a natural runner with a 5k this Sunday!) So exercise ahs become something we share too. I hope that she can keep exercise as a part of her life as she gets older and the stresses of high school etc encroach. Right now she is studying classical ballet, walks over 2 miles a day, and runs whenever she can – plus a love for rock climbing peaks its head now and again. I have, without intend, made exercise a part of our lives via lifestyle; we shall see if it remains a part of hers with age. For me – it is a part of my life that I have every desire to maintain as long as physically possible. I love the science you presented here – but if the findings had stated that it was not good for me… I think I would likely do it anyway as I feel better and more connected on every level!The Exceptionb4s last [type] ..
Hi Zeev, I’ve not read any research on the use of cannabis to treat the effects of fibromyalgia. It certainly might make a difference or it could have been the placebo effect that helped your client.
Ruth
i wonder , what is your opinion on the use of cannabis as a prescription to ease effects of fibromyalgia or other nervous disorders. i had a client for some years that was using prescribed cannabis and by his word it kept him going.i on my part was treating him with shiatsu therapy
Great blog about telemere length and exercise! When science meets lifestyle! I am going to Boot Camp today with a new appreciation of exercise, longevity and brain health!!
Thanks NICABM!!!
This telomere thing keeps popping its head up doesn’t it? I’ve noticed it being mentioned quite a bit in conjunction with the diabetes/heart disease/metabolic syndrome discussion. I wonder if in this case the mechanism for improved telomere length is the improved insulin sensitivity and reduction of toxically high blood sugar levels as a result of exercise. Example study here.