This is how much exercise you need for better brain health: study

They’re all brawn and brain.

Exercising could result in more brain volume, new research suggests.

The study, published last month in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, analyzed brain scans of more than 10,000 individuals, finding that regular exercise — even as little as taking a few thousand steps — could be associated with larger brain volume.

Brain volume is correlate with brain health — less volume indicates cognitive decline and, subsequently, could lead to dementia. An increase or maintenance in brain mass, then, could have “potential neuroprotective effects,” according to the team of researchers.

“We found that even moderate levels of physical activity, such as taking fewer than 4,000 steps a day, can have a positive effect on brain health,” study co-author Dr. David Merrill, the director of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Brain Health Center, said in a statement.

“This is much less than the often-suggested 10,000 steps, making it a more achievable goal for many people.”