Mindful walking and cognition in older adults: A proof of concept study using in-lab and ambulatory cognitive measures
Preventive Medicine Reports July 19, 2021 Chih-Hsiang Yang, Jonathan G. Hakun, Nelson Roque et al.
A one-month mindful walking program (eight 30-minute sessions combining slow walking with mindfulness skills) improved processing speed and executive function in 25 community-dwelling older adults (average age 72.4). Short-term gains in perceived cognition and processing speed appeared within 30 minutes of a single session. Longer-term improvements in processing speed and executive function were observed from baseline to program end. No significant changes occurred for other cognitive domains. The findings provide preliminary support for mindful walking as a promising lifestyle strategy for sustaining cognition in healthy aging, warranting a fully powered randomized controlled trial.