Most of us know how sore the next day after a hard workout can be.
But now scientists have discovered that the benefits to the brain can be felt even after a day.
University College London (UCL) Researchers have found that the short-term boost our brains get after exercise lasts the next day.
People who did more moderate and vigorous exercise than usual on a given day did better on memory tests the next day.
Experts say the improvements can be found in something as simple as running up the stairs.
In the short term, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which aid in various cognitive functions.
These neurochemical changes are known to last for several hours after exercise.
However, other studies have shown that exercise-related brain states last longer, with evidence that exercise can increase mood for up to 24 hours.
Participants aged 50 to 83 wore activity trackers for eight days and took daily cognitive tests.
Researchers at University College London have found that the short-term boost our brains get after exercise lasts the next day (stock image).
People who did more moderate and vigorous exercise than usual on a given day did better on memory tests the next day (stock image).
Scientists analyzed how much time they spent sitting, doing light exercise, and doing moderate or vigorous physical activity.
They also measured sleep duration and time spent in light (rapid eye movement, or REM) sleep and deep, slow-wave sleep.
After controlling for average activity and sleep levels, they found that more moderate or vigorous exercise was associated with better working memory and next-day memory (recall of events) compared to a person’s average.
These benefits were also felt by people who spent most of their time sitting and slept for six hours or more.
Overall, more sleep was associated with improved episodic and working memory and psychomotor speed, which is a measure of how quickly a person perceives and responds to the environment.
Experts say the improvements can be achieved with something as simple as climbing stairs (stock image).
Those who had the slowest wave — deep, restorative sleep — had better episodic memory, according to findings in the International Journal of Behavioral and Exercise Science.
Conversely, more time spent sitting was associated with worse memory the next day.
Dr Michaela Blumberg, from UCL, said: “Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of exercise may last longer than previously thought, perhaps not only in the few hours after exercise, but also into the next day. Getting more sleep, especially deep sleep, appears to contribute to this improvement in memory.
Moderate or vigorous activity can mean anything that gets your heart rate up—this could be brisk walking, dancing, or climbing a few stairs. It doesn’t have to be organized exercise.
‘This was a small study and needs to be replicated with a larger sample of participants before we can be sure of the results.’
