Retired adults who exercised regularly performed better than those who were sedentary on both physical and cognitive tests.
Older adults who engage in regular exercise are better able to withstand the effects of mental fatigue, according to new research.
A study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity by researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Extremadura (Spain) examined how age and physical activity influence the impact of mental fatigue on cognitive and physical performance.
In the first study, sedentary men aged 65 to 79 performed worse on both cognitive and physical tasks compared to younger participants aged 52 to 64. These declines were more pronounced when the participants were mentally fatigued before testing.
A second study with retired men and women aged 66-72 found that performance when mentally rested and fatigued was better in the physically active older adults than their sedentary peers.
The Role of Exercise in Aging and Mental Fatigue
Professor Chris Ring from the University of Birmingham and corresponding author of the study said: “This study shows how important physical activity is for adults as they get older, and in general for avoiding the worst impacts of mental fatigue on cognitive and physical performance. This research from our ongoing international collaborative venture confirms that regular physical activity has a host of benefits, with increased physical fitness associated with improved cognition, increased exercise capacity, and greater mental fatigue resilience.”
He continues, “For older adults in particular, regular exercise represents a simple but effective means to stave off the effects of age in a host of areas, including avoiding the negative effects of feeling mentally fatigued after a particularly taxing task.”
The research team also noted that the research confirmed that mental fatigue impaired performance in older adults and showed that performance when in states of fatigue and relaxation were worsened by aging and inactivity.
Three Practical Steps to Boost Performance
Professor Ring suggests the following three active steps can be taken by older adults wishing to perform better in demanding situations: “First, people can increase their levels of regular physical activity. Second, people can warm up using a combination of cognitive and physical tasks to better prepare them for upcoming physical performance overcome, especially when feeling mentally fatigued. Third, people can train using a combination of cognitive and exercise tasks – a method called Brain Endurance Training or BET – to improve their mental fatigue resilience and enhance their physical performance.”
Reference: “The Detrimental Effects of Mental Fatigue on Cognitive and Physical Performance in Older Adults Are Accentuated by Age and Attenuated by Habitual Physical Activity” by Rubén López-Rodriguez, Christopher Ring and Jesús Díaz-García, 4 April 2025, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.
DOI: 10.1123/japa.2024-0227
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1 Comment
What a surprise (not): active people perform better on cognitive and physical tests than sedentary people. This study did not take sedentary people and improve their performance by making them physically active, as the recommendations suggest. The study ignored the reason why these people are sedentary, which could be due to poor health. So this is an apples and oranges comparison, since active people are typically healthier than sedentary people. The amazing thing is that researchers get funding for this.