A viral trend sweeping social media suggests that moving your hands through a series of complex, opposing movements will help prevent dementia and cognitive decline. But experts say there are better ways to protect your brain health.
The hand exercises take you through alternating gestures: clapping your palms, then hitting the backs of your hands together; tapping your fingertips in sequence; pointing with your thumb and first finger on separate hands while switching, and more. The moves vary in complexity and can be tricky to do, especially on the first try.
Suzi Schulman, a New Jersey–based chiropractor who posted a video demonstrating one of these exercises, says coordinating movements between hands helps cognition. “If you…