A sharper mind: tai chi can improve cognitive function

There are lots of jokes about forgetting where you put your keys, but as you get older, changes in your mental function are no laughing matter. Changes in your brain that start around age 50 can affect your memory, as well as other cognitive functions such as your ability to juggle multiple tasks, process information rapidly, and focus on details. By age 70, one in six people has mild cognitive impairment (which can progress to Alzheimer's disease).

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Mind-body exercises, such as tai chi and yoga, have been gaining popularity over the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the increasing number of studies on the positive effects of these gentler forms of exercise—everything from lowering blood pressure and managing depression to building strength and improving balance. There is even evidence that tai chi may help you live a longer, more vital life.

Up until about two decades ago, it was believed that your brain only produced new cells early in life. But research has shown that the brain has the ability to change throughout your entire life span, growing new cells, making new connections, and even increasing in size. These changes can improve cognitive function—and various forms of exercise, including tai chi, can help.

In a meta-analysis of 20 studies on tai chi and cognition, tai chi appears to improve executive function—the ability to multitask, manage time, and make decisions—in people without any cognitive decline. In those with mild cognitive impairment, tai chi slowed the progression to dementia more than other types of exercise and improved their cognitive function in a comparable fashion to other types of exercise or cognitive training.

In one study, researchers had nearly 400 Chinese men and women with some cognitive impairment perform either tai chi or a stretching and toning program three times a week. After a year, the tai chi group showed greater improvements, and only 2% of that group progressed to dementia, while 11% from the traditional exercise group did.

In another study, tai chi outperformed walking. Following 40 weeks of either tai chi, walking, social interaction, or no intervention, researchers compared MRI images and discovered that brain volume increased the most in the tai chi group. In addition, that group also performed better on cognitive tests.

To learn more about tai chi, its health benefits and how to learn its movements, read Introduction to Tai Chi, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

Image: © kali9 | Gettyimages

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Proper posture the tai chi way

If you're like most people, your posture could use some improvement. But how do you do that? The classic advice is to stand straight, with your head up, shoulders back, and belly in. While these are reasonable adjustments, tai chi takes a different approach that may be more effective. It aims to align the body in ways that afford safe, unstrained, and graceful postures—not the military-like, one-size-fits all, rigid stances many think of as good posture.

Instead, in tai chi, good posture centers around the principle of verticality. That means the head is centered over the torso, the torso rests over the hips, and the hips are centered over the legs and feet, your base of support. Here's how to do it.

The spine is literally the backbone of verticality, so let's start there. Tai chi classics say, "The spine should be like a necklace of pearls hanging from heaven." Your goal should be to elongate the spine while still allowing for its natural curves. This can reduce wear and tear on the discs between your vertebrae. In this position, your head will also sit squarely on top of your spine instead of jutting forward— a common profile that you will see if you take the time to observe others. Your head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds, but just a slight tilt forward more than doubles the amount of strain on your neck muscles. Get into typical texting position, and your muscles must work five times as hard. No wonder your neck and upper back are tight and achy. Proper alignment helps prevent that.
The next area to focus on comprises the waist and pelvic region, which connect the upper body and lower body. In tai chi classics, this area is called the "commander." It's the central, coordinating hub where all movements originate. Muscle imbalances in this area have been associated with pain in the back, knee, and even neck, along with affecting your gait and balance. Maintaining tone and flexibility in the muscles and other soft tissues of the hip and pelvic area facilitates good posture and movement patterns and reduces pain.
At the foundation of good posture are your feet, but you rarely hear about them in traditional posture advice. If alignment is off at your feet, though, the imbalance travels up the body, possibly causing painful problems along the way. Western thinking usually attempts to correct these misalignments with products like shoe inserts, but tai chi works to naturally correct imbalances and improve range of motion. While specifics vary with different tai chi movements, in general you should keep your weight centered over the balls of your feet and all of your toes, and point your feet in the direction of your kneecaps. The result is a healthier posture that works for you without forcing your body into uncomfortable positions.

So, the next time you want to improve your posture, skip the stiff stance and focus on your spine, pelvic region, and feet.

To learn more about tai chi, its health benefits and how to learn its movements, read Introduction to Tai Chi, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

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Featured in this issue

An Introduction to Tai Chi

Featured content:

•	What is tai chi?
•	The health benefits of tai chi
•	Before you start: Safety first
•	Creating your tai chi practice
•	Standing Tai Chi Calisthenics
•	Seated Tai Chi Calisthenics
•	Traditional Tai Chi Elements