Have you done your chores today?

A long list of household chores has remained plastered to the fridge for a few weeks, but no matter how much you moan and groan, the jobs will not get done. A new study on dementia may now help to speed up the process of completing errands in order to keep your house clean, the laundry folded and your brain healthy.

The research, which refutes claims that high-intensity workouts are the only way to achieve health benefits, finds that seniors who run simple errands or have caregiving responsibilities are less likely to experience cognitive impairment as they age.

Researchers attempt to prove that simple chores may be all it takes to get the heart pumping.

Todd Manini, co-author of the study conducted at the University of Florida, says errands are sometimes forgotten as a form of exercise because activities like jogging or running are often labelled as the “best ways to achieve the best health benefits”.

“What this study is telling us is those other activities might also count for health benefits,” Mr Manini explains.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, shows signs of dementia symptoms are less likely to strike older people who burn calories running errands, doing household tasks and other routine activities.

The research evaluated 200 participants with the average age of 75 years who were placed into three groups divided by how many calories they burned per day.

Those who burned more than 1,000 calories a day were 91% less likely to experience declines in memory, concentration and language abilities after five years compared with less-active people. Interestingly, the recorded number of calories burned partly came from routine tasks such as taking care of relatives, volunteering, and keeping busy around the house rather than through vigorous exercise.

Researchers indicated those participants in the middle-range group were also less likely to experience mental declines than the least active group.

Those who burned more calories by simply walking, climbing more stairs and engaging in more caregiving and volunteer work were shown to be the most active overall.

“You would expect the people in the highest third to be the hard-core exercisers, but that’s not the case at all,” Mr Manini says.

The result is a reminder to older adults that any sort of movement, whether it be getting up from a chair or taking the rubbish out, can be beneficial.

“Even standing instead of sitting, for instance, burns 20 to 30 more calories an hour,” Mr Manini claims.

“We are learning that sitting for long periods of time is not good for you,” he says. “There is a building consensus that even though people may get their 30 minutes of exercise in, that all that sitting can still cause some poor health ramifications,” he adds.

Despite the findings, researchers stress the importance of physical exercise and recommends that people do not neglect strenuous exercise based on the study’s results.

How do you feel about doing chores? Share your opinions in the comment box below.