Sports

Walking And Socializing Boost Brain Health. What Happens If You Do Them Together?

The brain is your body’s command center—so keeping it in working order is really a nonnegotiable. While doctors have repeatedly recommended factors like eating well and trying to do new activities to support brain health, research over the last few years has found two habits worth prioritizing in your daily life: walking and spending time […]

Published

4 weeks ago

April 19, 2025

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Walking And Socializing Boost Brain Health. What Happens If You Do Them Together?

Every walk you take is a step toward a sharper mind in more ways than one. A growing body of research shows that regular walking can boost memory, sharpen focus, and even slow cognitive decline—including reducing risk of developing dementia. Separate research has shown that walking can boost creativity, too. People who were physically active—including with walking—at some point within the last 3.5 hours showed processing speeds equivalent to someone four years younger while playing brain games, a recent study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found.

The second game changer for your thinker: socialization. Your brain thrives on connection, and research backs this up. A separate body of research shows that regular social connection can shore up memory, problem-solving, and also reduce dementia risk. One study, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, found that people who interacted with family and friends on a weekly or monthly basis had a slower rate of memory decline than those who socialized less.

Meet the experts: Jonathan Howard, MD, is a neurologist at NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue. Scott Kaiser, MD, is the director of geriatric cognitive health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. Amit Sachdev, MD, is medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University.

With that, it’s worth exploring whether doing both at once would be a double whammy for brain health. While this powerhouse combo hasn’t technically been studied formally just yet, doctors say there might be something to this health hack. Let’s investigate.

Why Walking With A Loved One Is A Smart Combo For Brain Health

There are a few mechanisms at play. One is the fact that walking is simply a great form of exercise. “Anything that improves overall cardiovascular health will help reduce dementia risk,” says Jonathan Howard, MD, a neurologist at NYC Health and Hospitals/Bellevue. Your brain needs healthy blood vessels to function properly, get nutrients, and remove toxins, and there’s an established link between heart disease and dementia.

Getting your steps in can help support overall health—and that will do your brain a solid too, says Amit Sachdev, MD, medical director in the Department of Neurology at Michigan State University. “Overall health is important for brain health,” he notes.

triggers the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports nerve cell growth and survival in the brain and spinal cord. BDNF is involved in crucial tasks like memory and learning, says Scott Kaiser, MD, director of geriatric cognitive health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. “That helps to create a well-functioning brain network,” he says.

Walking also can help reduce your overall stress levels. Stress can negatively impact your brain on a cellular level when it goes unchecked, and ramping up your step count can help counteract this, says Dr. Kaiser.

Time with loved ones is an anti-stressor, too, and can support good heart health which, again, ultimately boosts brain health, Dr. Kaiser says. There may even be an indirect link here: “If you’re feeling well connected, you may be more likely to make better choices for your health—and brain health—around drinking, eating, and substance abuse,” Dr. Kaiser says.

Best Shoes For Walking

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Women's Sneakers

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Whether walking around the house or around the neighborhood, these “perfectly comfortable and lightweight shoes are a great value at an affordable price,” says Jacqueline Andriakos, WH executive health and fitness director. Plus, they come in countless colors.

Splurgeworthy Walking Shoe

TechLoom Zipline

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“These are like little clouds beneath the feet—and I’ve never seen a shoe style quite like them,” Andriakos says. “I lace up in my Ziplines mostly for walking and errands.”

Best Walking Shoe For Plantar Fasciitis

Novablast 3

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Soft, cushiony, and great for pain-free walking, this model has an elevated heel. “If you are a heel striker in general or deal with nagging heel pain, these would be a match,” says WH news and features editor Currie Engel.

Best Platform Walking Shoe

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A platform walking sneaker? Yes! This elevated pair performs thanks to the Dr. Scholl’s comfort built-in. “I can wear them all day with no foot aches,” says Andriakos, who deals with sesamoiditis (nagging inflammation of the sesamoid bones in the ball of the foot).

Most Breathable Walking Shoe

Athens

Kizik Athens

“First day out of the box, this pair performed even with no socks, 90-degree weather, and on my feet all day exploring, on a weeklong vacation—I could not have been more comfortable,” says Laura McLaughlin, WH managing editor.

Best Shoe For Standing All Day

Cloudgo

On Running Cloudgo

“They feel sturdy, yet cushioned and supportive. The light and responsive soles make perfect sense as a standing and walking shoe,” Andriakos says. (It’s no wonder nurses and teachers rave about them!)

Best Waterproof Walking Shoe

Out N About III Low Sneaker Waterproof

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“My feet stayed totally dry on snow, grass, mud, and slush, and I never slipped on the smooshy surfaces after a New York City snowstorm,” says Nied. “As long as the snow isn’t above the ankles, these work as well as full-blown snow boots and are much easier to pack if you’re traveling.”

Best Recovery Walking Shoe

OOmg eeZee Low

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Credit: Oofos

Enter: a warm hug for your feet. These easy slip-ons mold to your entire foot, making them perfect for strolls after grueling workouts.

Best Walking Shoe For Wet Terrain

Geotrecca Low RP

Teva Geotrecca Low RP

“This neutral-looking shoe goes with everything,” says WH senior e-commerce editor Neha Tandon. “After unexpectedly getting caught in snow and doing a rainy hike, these kept me warm and dry and were slip-proof on the steep parts.”

Best Walking Shoe For Wide Feet

Walker Classic

Vionic Walker Classic

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“They are stiff and structured in a protective way, but still pack enough cushioning and a wider design for all-day comfort,” Andriakos says. “I swear I stand with better posture when I wear them.”

To be clear, there are no available studies that specifically found walking with a loved one can prevent dementia. (However, a 28-week group-walking program helped people with dementia maintain a steady quality of life over the testing period, and the intervention was well-liked by both participants and their caregivers.) There are studies to support the benefits of group exercise, particularly outdoor group exercise, especially when it comes to lowering stress levels.

“We know that exercising is good and that socializing in groups is beneficial,” Dr. Kaiser says. “Theoretically, the benefits for brain health could be greater when you do them together.”

How Often To Walk With Your Loved Ones For Optimal Brain Health

It’s hard to put a specific number on this, given that research hasn’t extended into this territory just yet. If you want to set a lofty goal, Dr. Howard suggests trying to walk for 30 minutes at a time on most days of the week.

Since it can be tricky to consistently block out that time with family and friends, Dr. Kaiser just recommends doing what you can. “Most evidence suggests that inactivity is bad and any amount of activity is a good amount,” he says. “But, in general, more is better.”

exercise snacks,” like walking out of the office at the end of the night with your work buddy or taking a lap around the neighborhood with your mom during a visit instead of catching up on the couch. You can also try taking up your own walking habit and socializing by chatting on the phone with loved ones.

By the way, you can take up this new habit any time. “I can’t think of any age group that won’t benefit from this,” Dr. Kaiser says.

There’s a lot that goes into supporting good brain health, but walking with a loved one checks off a lot of boxes and gets in some quality social time, too. “It makes sense to kill two birds with one stone,” Dr. Howard says.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

Sports

Six Oles compete in UWL Final Qualifier

Story Links LA CROSSE, Wis. – Six members of the St. Olaf College men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the UW-La Crosse Final Qualifier in their final attempts to qualify for the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships on Wednesday evening at Veterans Memorial Field Sports […]

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7 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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LA CROSSE, Wis. – Six members of the St. Olaf College men’s and women’s track and field teams competed at the UW-La Crosse Final Qualifier in their final attempts to qualify for the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships on Wednesday evening at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.

Junior Ignatius Fitzgerald, senior Andrew Skemp, junior Lance Nemecek, junior Cullen Moore, and sophomore Max Albertson were in action from the men’s team, while junior Lauren Walda was the lone participant from the women’s team.

After sitting 10th entering the final lap, Fitzgerald ran 58.76-second split on the final lap to win the 1,500-meter run in 3:48.55, which ranks fifth on St. Olaf’s all-time list in the event. The time was a PR of over two seconds and ranks 26th in the country this season. Skemp concluded his career with a 25th-place finish (4:06.92) in just the third time running the event in his career.

Nemecek and Moore both placed in the top four in the 800-meter run, with Nemecek finishing second (1:51.86) and Moore fourth (1:52.87). Entering the meet, the time to crack the top 22 in the country in the event was 1:50.62.

Albertson posted an eighth-place finish in the long jump with a mark of 6.89 meters (22′ 7 ¼”) after needing to jump at least 7.24 meters to break into the top 22.

Walda was the lone runner in the 5,000-meter run and recorded a time of 17:59.32.

The qualifiers for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be announced on Friday, May 16 by 7 p.m. CT via press release on NCAA.com. The national meet will be held at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio from May 22-24.

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Sports

High school volleyball: City Section boys’ playoff results and pairings

CITY SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS SEMIFINALS DIVISION II #1 VAAS d. #4 Fairfax, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18 #2 Mendez d. #3 Banning, 25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 26-24 DIVISION III #1 East Valley d. #4 SOCES, 20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 #7 Maywood CES d. #19 San Fernando, 3-2 DIVISION IV #8 Hamilton d. #5 Animo Venice, […]

Published

10 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

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CITY SECTION BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

SEMIFINALS

DIVISION II

#1 VAAS d. #4 Fairfax, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18

#2 Mendez d. #3 Banning, 25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 26-24

DIVISION III

#1 East Valley d. #4 SOCES, 20-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21

#7 Maywood CES d. #19 San Fernando, 3-2

DIVISION IV

#8 Hamilton d. #5 Animo Venice, 25-13, 29-27, 25-20

#10 Port of Los Angeles d. #11 University Prep Value, 25-19, 22-25, 28-26, 19-25, 15-10

DIVISION V

#1 Wilson d. #4 Animo South Los Angeles, 25-21, 25-16, 25-18

#3 Harbor Teacher d. #2 Dorsey, 25-21, 26-24, 25-20

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

FINALS

At Birmingham

DIVISION I

#2 Carson vs. #1 Taft, 7:30 p.m.

DIVISION III

#7 Maywood CES vs. #1 East Valley, 5 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

FINALS

At Birmingham

OPEN DIVISION

#3 El Camino Real vs. #1 Venice, 6 p.m.

DIVISION II

#1 Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences vs. #2 Mendez, 3:15 p.m.

DIVISION IV

#10 Port of Los Angeles vs. #8 Hamilton, 12:30 p.m.

DIVISION V

#3 Harbor Teacher vs. #1 Wilson, 10 a.m.

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Sports

Arizona Athletics Celebrates 2025 Graduates

Story Links TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics held its annual Student-Athlete Graduation Celebration on Thursday in the McKale Center, recognizing the 104 student-athletes that have earned degrees from the University of Arizona. The class includes graduates from 64 different states or countries, 63 unique majors, 12 student-athletes that are first […]

Published

14 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Athletics held its annual Student-Athlete Graduation Celebration on Thursday in the McKale Center, recognizing the 104 student-athletes that have earned degrees from the University of Arizona.

The class includes graduates from 64 different states or countries, 63 unique majors, 12 student-athletes that are first generation graduates from their families and four graduates from the CATS Forever program.

The mission of the CATS Forever program is to assist former Arizona student-athletes in fulfilling the goal of graduation for those who left school before receiving their undergraduate degree.

Please click here to read who the graduates wanted to acknowledge for helping them and supporting them during their time as a Wildcat. They also share what their plans are for after graduation.

Below is a complete list of the graduates.

BASEBALL

Emilio Corona

Kyler Heyne

Bradon Zastrow

Garen Caulfield

Raul Garayzar

Matthew Martinez

Richard Morales

Eric Orloff

Tommy Splaine

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Luke Champion

Liam Lloyd

Caleb Love

Will Menaugh

Ajae Yoakum

CATS FOREVER

Cody Deason (Baseball)

Nick Hundley (Baseball)

TJ Nichols (Baseball)

Trevor Werbylo (Men’s Golf)

FOOTBALL

Ty Buchanan

Quali Conley

Kevon Darton

CJ Flores

Justin Flowe

Ayden Garnes

Blake Gotcher

Dalton Johnson

James “Chubba” Maae

Shancco “Ise” Matautia

Deshawn McKnight

Samuel Olson

Cash Peterman

Tiaoalii Savea

Tre Smith

Ryan Stewart

Javin “NuNu” Whatley

MEN’S GOLF

Griffin Rhoads

Johnny Walker

WOMEN’S GOLF

Carolina Melgrati

GYMNASTICS

Alysen Fears

Elizabeth LaRusso

Emily Mueller

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Brooke Blutreich

Kylee Fitzsimmons

Annie Kost

Olivia Rubio

SOCCER

Maia Brown

Marley Chappel

Megan Chelf

Nicole Dallin

Trinity Dorsey

Rikako Hayami

Nyota Katembo

Madeleine Koleno

SOFTBALL

Paige Dimler

Devyn Netz

MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING

Tate Bahti

Jack Donovan

Jadan Nabor

Mason Nyboer

Beck Parnham

Daniel Young

WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING

Maddy Ahluwalia

Stefani Beisel

Nadia Bouraoui

Stella Copeland

Alexis Duchsherer

Brooke Earley

Elizabeth Mackowiak

Amalie Mortensen

Alyssa Schwengel

MEN’S TENNIS

Inaki Cabrera Bello

Casper Christensen

Colton Smith

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Midori Castillo-Meza

Tanvi Narendran

Belen Nevenhoven

TRIATHLON

Laura Holanszky

Gabrielle Lemes

Lydia Russell

Eleanor Tuck

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Jesse Avina

Isaac Davis

Zachary Extine

Jacob Kauffman

Youssef Koudssi

Zach Landa

Brian Limage

Diego Marquez

Reinaldo Rodrigues

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

Malaya Abueg

Esther Akinlosotu

Jenica Bosko

Lauryn Love

Alisa Lyesina

Presley Money

Mackenna Orie

Hollan Powers

Morgan Rhett

Zana Ryan

VOLLEYBALL

Amanda DeWitt

Alayna Johnson

Ava Tortorello

Haven Wray

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Sports

‘The Plague’ Director on Harrowing Joel Edgerton Movie

Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux promised that this year’s Un Certain Regard sidebar lineup would be more driven by narrative and genre than years past. Looking at Charlie Polinger‘s feature directing debut “The Plague,” he wasn’t kidding. This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as […]

Published

22 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as a coming-of-age drama and an adolescent, acne-scarred body-horror nightmare. The 12- and 13-year-olds populating its frames are all afraid of catching an imagined (or not?) contagion — let’s call it puberty — that turns their brains into “mush,” one says, and manifests with psoriasis-like lesions on their bodies. But the words and almost ritualistic humiliations they exchange (think the mocking of speech impediments and centipedes thrown into your bed at night) are even more wounding.

Director Todd Solondz (C), Marie Theres (L) and Ryan Werner attend the after party for the premiere of "Palindromes"

Polinger, an AFI Conservatory grad working with many of his fellow alumni including cinematographer Steven Breckon, based this disturbing and personal film on his own experiences as a kid at an all-boys summer sports camp, culling from his rediscovered journals to write the script. Millennials who came of age in the aughts (“The Plague” is set in summer 2003) will recognize the touchstones, from the period music references to the Capri-Suns everyone seems to be slurping. “I was leaning into the Capri-Sun, into sort of this pre-internet or very early internet age, with the kind of jokes that they make,” Polinger told IndieWire.

Joel Edgerton, who stars as the boys’ generous but out-of-his-depth coach in terms of dealing with unruly and toxic boys, initially received the script from Polinger’s agent and wanted to direct it. “I was like, ‘I really have to direct this one. It’s too special to me.’ He was just really cool about it. We ended up getting on a call. He really related to the themes, the social dynamics of these kids, and bullying, and his own experiences being a 12-year-old boy in Australia. He basically just said, look, I’m happy to produce the film and act in the film, and do anything I can to help get this made.”

Polinger and his casting director Rebecca Dealy (“Hereditary”) looked at thousands of tapes of kids to cast the right ensemble. They landed on “Griffin in Summer” star Everett Blunck as Ben, the hero of this story if there is one, and the seemingly innocent kid through whose eyes we see the film. The kind of kid who will see with his awkward, ruthlessly bullied peer who’s left alone at the cafeteria. They found Kayo Martin, who plays the camp’s freckled top bully Jake who presides over the cool-kids table with imperious authority, off social media. It’s a breakout performance for a young star.

“He felt exactly like the type of bully or character who messes with your head in a way that I feel like I haven’t seen represented in a movie or TV show very often because he’s always very understated,” Polinger said. “You never know if he’s joking or not, and it really kind of gets inside your head. He is so comfortable hanging out with adults all the time and going around New York, going to all the bagel shops and all these places [where Martin does social media pranks], and he does have a certain maturity level that can actually play very uncanny in the situation with other boys.”

There are scenes in “The Plague” that pit the child actors into adult scenarios that are, in real life, likely familiar to them. In one scene, they share sexual fantasies and talk about masturbation from across each other’s bunk beds. Directing children always comes with its own set of challenges, even with parents on set, but Polinger and his team worked with an intimacy coordinator to burrow into these most uncomfortable (but relatable) moments.

“The first day with the intimacy coordinator, we all sat around and we were talking about the scene, and she was coming at it very delicately: ‘Is this something that you guys know about?’ And they were miles ahead of her in terms of what they already knew and the jokes that they were making,” Polinger said. “It was really important to me that we were capturing that age in a real way. [The actors] were very fearless and just excited to dive into it… They were so much more mature than you would imagine.”

In terms of references for the film’s more horror-leaning later stretches, Polinger wanted to combine the feel of 1980s and aughts coming-of-age teen movies with a more genre-oriented sensibility (comparisons to “Black Swan,” eventually, are invited).

“I love those movies about boys, though I often feel like a lot of movies about young boys are either a little more sort of broey hangout or a little more nostalgic, kind of biking-around-the-suburbs type of thing,” he said. Movies like Bo Burnham’s “Eighth Grade” and Julia Ducournau’s “Raw,” he said, “capture a social dread and vulnerability of your body and something you don’t see as much with boys because it requires a certain vulnerability to be an object of terror in that way… I was even looking at some sort of dread-filled, ‘Shining’ daylight kinds of horror movies, [with] huge imposing spaces.”

Movies about military situations, like Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket,” also came to mind. Even Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail,” which is “such an incredible exploration of masculinity.”

Every rising indie filmmaker these days wants to shoot on film — who doesn’t? — which can be a big upfront non-negotiable from a first-time director. But “The Plague” benefits from that celluloid touch, making the movie like a grainy memory of a bad dream. “It was pretty challenging. We had to find some additional funds to do it. We got a lot of help from Kodak. [It was] definitely hard, and especially with kids and pools and all the other variables that add more time, and having tight days. The film [aspect] just added a whole other wrench into it,” Polinger said, though “The Plague” did shoot during a sweltering summertime when the kid actors were out of school.

Shooting on film, though, he said, “just made it feel magical. We were capturing something that felt timeless and, to me, there’s no comparison. It looks so great to shoot on film, and these kids’ faces and closeups just rendered in such a beautiful way.”

“The Plague” will seek a distributor at Cannes, though Polinger already has wind in his sails with another movie lined up, and at A24: an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death” starring Sydney Sweeney. “The Plague,” which Polinger wants to be seen in theaters, would be a smart fit for any distributor looking for a risky genre offering, and one that offers no easy answers about the prickly (and, yes, pimply) perils of adolescence.

“The Plague” premieres at Cannes on Thursday, May 16. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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Sports

ELF agrees multi-year partnership with SportWorld

The European League of Football (ELF) has signed a long-term partnership with SportWorld, a global streaming platform for live sports. Beginning with the 2025 season opener on May 17, all 101 live ELF games will be available to watch through pay-per-view (PPV) on the SportWorld app. Fans can book and stream each game individually on […]

Published

30 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The European League of Football (ELF) has signed a long-term partnership with SportWorld, a global streaming platform for live sports.

Beginning with the 2025 season opener on May 17, all 101 live ELF games will be available to watch through pay-per-view (PPV) on the SportWorld app. Fans can book and stream each game individually on their Smart TV or smartphone (iOS and Android).

SportWorld is already a major player in sports streaming, with over 12 million app downloads and users in 205 countries.

“With SportWorld, we gain an innovative partner who takes digital sports streaming to the next level,” said Zeljko Karajica, CEO of ELF investment partner SEH Sports & Entertainment Holding. “Our goal is to grow European football across all platforms, making it easy to access and exciting to watch. Being able to stream ELF games via pay-per-view directly on Smart TVs worldwide is a big step forward.”

This deal is not just about streaming games. B1 SmartTV, which operates SportWorld, will also become global licence holder for ELF teams and players. That means fans will be able to experience more exclusive content in special ’zones’ dedicated to each team within the SportWorld app.

“Adding the ELF to our platform is a great win for SportWorld,” said Robert Niemann, CEO at SportWorld. “We are expanding our global live sports offer and giving football fans a great way to follow their sport on all devices – whenever and wherever they want. The ELF has energy, a strong community, and exciting content. It’s a perfect match for us.”

The partnership between ELF and SportWorld is signed for an initial period of three years, covering the 2025 to 2027 seasons. The agreement includes all international markets, showing the strong global focus of the European League of Football.

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Sports

Track and Field Hosts Last Chance Meet on Thursday

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts men’s and women’s track & field programs are set to compete in the Last Chance Meet on Thursday, May 15 at the UMass Track & Field Complex in Amherst, Mass. This is the final event for Massachusetts ahead of the NCAA Regional Qualifiers. A full schedule of events can be […]

Published

40 minutes ago

May 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts men’s and women’s track & field programs are set to compete in the Last Chance Meet on Thursday, May 15 at the UMass Track & Field Complex in Amherst, Mass. This is the final event for Massachusetts ahead of the NCAA Regional Qualifiers.

A full schedule of events can be found here.

Expected lists of participants are attached below:

Women’s performance list

Men’s performance list

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