Many of us are aware that intense physical activity often leads to sore muscles the next day.
However, researchers have found that the advantages for the brain can still be experienced even after 24 hours.
University College
London
Researchers from UCL discovered that the temporary cognitive enhancement our brain experiences after exercising lasts for the entire subsequent day.
Individuals who engaged in a higher amount of moderate to intense physical exercise compared to their normal routine performed better on memory assessments the following day.
Specialists mentioned that these enhancements might be accomplished through a straightforward activity like sprinting upstairs.
In the short term, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine which help a range of cognitive functions.
These neurochemical alterations are known to persist for several hours following physical activity.
Other research has indicated that the brain states associated with physical activity persist for an extended period, with findings pointing out that exercise can improve one’s mood for as much as 24 hours afterward.
Individuals between the ages of 50 and 83 wore fitness monitors for eight consecutive days and completed cognitive assessments daily.
Researchers examined the duration of time participants spent being sedentary, engaging in light physical activities, and performing moderate to intense exercises.
They likewise measured the amount of sleep and the time allocated to lighter stages (such as rapid eye movement, or REM sleep), along with deeper, slow-wave sleep periods.
Once they accounted for typical daily activities and sleep patterns, researchers discovered that engaging in higher amounts of moderate or intense exercise than usual was associated with improved working memory and episodic memory—the recollection of personal experiences—on the following day.
These advantages were experienced by individuals who sat for shorter periods and slept for six hours or more.
Increased total sleep duration was associated with better performance in episodic and working memory as well as enhanced psychomotor speed, which assesses how swiftly an individual perceives and reacts to their surroundings.
According to the research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, individuals who experienced more deep, restorative slow-wave sleep exhibited improved episodic memory.
On the contrary, spending more time being inactive than normal was associated with a decline in working memory the following day.
Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg from UCL stated, “Our research indicates that the positive impact of physical activity on short-term memory might extend for a longer period than we initially believed—potentially up until the following day rather than merely a few hours post-exercise. Additionally, obtaining greater amounts of sleep, especially deep sleep, appears to enhance this memory boost.”
‘Moderate or intense physical activity refers to anything that elevates your heartbeat – examples include quick-paced walking, dancing, or climbing several staircases. This does not necessarily require organized workouts.’
‘This was a limited study, and thus it must be repeated with a bigger participant group to ensure the reliability of the findings.’
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