(NaturalNews) According to the American Psychological Association (APA), memory loss and aging go hand in hand. Everything from forgotten keys to the onset of dementia are common as people grow older.

"Although new neurons develop throughout our lives, our brains reach their maximum size during our early twenties and then begin very slowly to decline in volume," the APA states. "Blood flow to the brain also decreases over time. The good news is that many studies have shown that the brain remains capable of regrowth and of learning and retaining new facts and skills throughout life, especially for people who get regular exercise and frequent intellectual stimulation."

So, how can exercise help build brain power?

Researchers from the Centre for Research in Psychology, Behavior and Achievement at Coventry University in England looked into this, however it didn't involve the kind of exercise that might first come to mind in terms of gym workouts or walking around the block. They set out to examine physical activity when it involved interaction between the sheets; by looking at the sex lives of adults in England aged 50 to 89 over the course of one year, they were able to assess the link between an active sex life and improved brain functions of both men and women.
 

Study linking regular sexual activity and boost in brain power first of its kind

While the researchers' definition of an active sex life involved everything from intercourse to fondling, one thing was vehemently clear: Older people who engaged in regular sexual activity experienced improved brain function.



Their findings were published in the journal Age and Ageing in an article entitled, Sex on the brain! Associations between sexual activity and cognitive function in older age. Two kinds of differing cognitive function tests were administered and then reviewed. One involved number sequencing, which plays a role in executive function, and the other tests dealt with word recall, which deals with memory.