As a neurologist, Dr. Joe Verghese is all about finding creative strategies for a healthier brain — especially when it helps simplify his workout routine.
“I don’t always enjoy exercising, or the idea that I have to do it regularly,” he told Business Insider.
In pursuit of a healthier brain, he’s tried everything from balance tests to ballroom dancing (after his studies found it may help stave off dementia).
Now, the Stony Brook University researcher is aiming to become a “super mover,” a rare demographic of people 80 and older who have an exceptionally fast walking speed for their age — and live uniquely long, healthy lives.
According to his studies, persistent speediness may have a protective effect on the brain and body, Verghese said.
By studying them, he hopes to learn not just how our bodies and minds deteriorate as we age, but what we can do about it.
“Aspiring to be a fast mover, a super mover is a good thing because it has not only benefits for the brain, it has benefits for the rest of the body too,” he said.
Move fast, slow aging
Super movers are defined as people who can keep pace with someone decades younger, like an 80-year-old walking at the speed of an average 50-year-old, Verghese explained.
His most recent study, published in the journal Neurology, found that super movers are 50% less likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. Another of his studies found that super movers had a younger biological age than their years would suggest, and lower rates of heart disease, depression symptoms, and hearing loss.
Brisk walking has long been linked to longevity, so that wasn’t a surprise. What was intriguing, Verghese said, were the autopsy results of people who died during the study. After death, super movers were just as likely to show age-related wear and tear in their brain tissue as their slower-walking peers. On average, though, they showed fewer symptoms of cognitive decline during their lifetimes.
Verghese was inspired to seek out super movers based on previous research on super-agers, people who retain the physical and mental spryness of someone much younger, in part because of lucky genetics. And as with super movers, studies on super-agers’ brains have similar rates of deterioration on average, with fewer symptoms.
However, only 19% of super movers are also super-agers. That suggests there may be multiple strategies to protect your brain from aging, Verghese said. More research could help provide personalized recommendations for an antiaging plan.
“You might have some unique resilience mechanisms that might prevent you from showing those effects,” he said.
Power walking for a healthy brain
Most importantly, you may not need to win the genetic lottery to be a super mover.
Verghese found evidence that super movers were speedy before they reached age 80. While genetics likely play a role, getting comfortable with a brisk walking pace now will make you more likely to maintain it and become a super mover later, he said.
To walk your way to longevity, your pace should be around 3 miles per hour, studies suggest, and faster may be better.
Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, in line with the CDC’s recommended 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week.
“You don’t have to do the 30 minutes in one go. You can split it up. 10 minutes is better than zero minutes,” Verghese said.
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