An ancient Chinese exercise may give your memory a lift, according to new research.

Tai Chi may just be more than an ancient Chinese exercise. It might actually give your memory a lift, according to new research. Scientists and University of South Florida and Fudan university found that elderly Chinese people who practiced Tai Chi thrice weekly for eight months had better memory, in tests than those who didn't do Tai Chi at all.

They experienced growth in brain volume, something that's promising considering before dementia, the brain shrinks because of lost nerve connections. According to the researchers:

"The ability to reverse this trend with physical exercise and increased mental activity implies that it may be possible to delay the onset of dementia in older persons through interventions that have many physical and mental health benefits," study researcher Dr. James Mortimer, professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, said in a statement.

The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease study included 120 elderly people from Shanghai, China.

"Epidemiologic studies have shown repeatedly that individuals who engage in more physical exercise or are more socially active have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease," Mortimer added. "The current findings suggest that this may be a result of growth and preservation of critical regions of the brain affected by this illness."

Try it out if you're interested. It's actually, not that hard. Just slow.