Did you know that when you work out your body, you are also working out your brain? Simply put, cardiovascular exercise gets the blood flowing—including to the brain. Dr. Julie Brody Magid, Clinical Director of the Memory Disorders Assessment Clinic at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, claims “…cardio exercise has consistently proved to help protect the brain from cognitive decline and perhaps even improve cognitive functioning (Harvard Health) if issues arise.”

Evidence suggests that “dual tasking”, exercises that engage the brain and body simultaneously, are even better than exercises focused on one area. The PJCC’s new small-group training program is built around this concept. Using SMARTfit technology physical exercise is combined with brain training activities to provide a holistic approach to your workout.

Looking for more? Other great brain/body activities include adaptive sports like pickleball (Fairfax Times), which requires quick thinking and reaction time, dance or Zumba classes, and aqua fitness.

Wearable technology, like smart watches and rings (Mayo Clinic Health), has made it possible (and popular) for individuals to keep tabs on their heart rate, quality of sleep, and blood pressure. These tools are helpful in providing you and your doctor with a quick snapshot of your health.

Now it’s become possible to also track your cognitive health. The PJCC is thrilled to partner with Dabble Health, innovators in the brain health space and creators an app that makes it easy to track cognitive health. PJCC Members and CHL Passholders have FREE access to the Mind Atlas app, keeping you aware of your cognitive health journey. Three minutes of daily puzzles and challenges give you a personalized baseline to track memory, attention, focus, and more.