For bike-to-work commuters and those who start the day with a brisk walk, the benefits of some early exercise are well known.
Now scientists believe that activity is not just a good idea to improve the day ahead; physical activity may also be associated with a small increase in memory scores the next day.
A study from University College London found that 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity and at least six hours of sleep at night can help improve cognitive performance the next day.
“The conclusion is that physical activity is good for your brain and that good sleep helps,” says Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg, first author of the study.
The researchers noted that physical activity has previously been associated with both short-term improvements in cognitive function and a reduced risk of dementia.
However, Bloomberg noted that many studies of the short-term effects were laboratory-based and primarily tracked responses on a time scale of minutes to hours. These studies suggested that the benefits could be due to increased blood flow to the brain and stimulation of chemicals known as neurotransmitters.
Now researchers say they have looked at the short-term effects of physical activity in real life, not only finding benefits for the brain but also revealing that they appear to last longer than expected.
Bloomberg and colleagues write in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity how 76 adults between 50 and 83 years old, who had no cognitive impairment or dementia, were asked to wear an accelerometer for eight days to track their sleep and sleep . physical activity during their normal lives.
Every day, the participants were also given simple online cognitive tests to examine their attention, memory and processing speed, among other things.
The team said their results show that each 30-minute increase in moderate to vigorous physical activity on the previous day corresponded to a 2-5% increase in episodic and working memory scores the next day, although only the latter remained after the sleep data from the participants had been gathered. considered.
While Bloomberg noted that it’s hard to say whether this equates to a tangible – clinical – difference for participants, she said the next step is to conduct similar work in people with cognitive disabilities.
“The idea is that for people with mild cognitive impairment, a very small improvement in cognitive performance on a daily basis can make a big difference,” she said.
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The team also found that each 30-minute increase in sedentary behavior was associated with a small drop in working memory scores the next day – although Bloomberg said exactly how sedentary time is spent could be important – while those who slept at least six hours a night higher scores for episodic memory, attention and physical reaction speed the next day, taking into account physical activity levels, than those who had less sleep.
However, the study has limitations, including the fact that the participants had a high level of education, excellent health and a high level of daily physical activity.
Bloomberg added that it’s not clear exactly what determines the impact of exercise on memory the next day, with neurotransmitter benefits lasting only a few hours. She also noted that there may be different mechanisms underlying the long-term benefits of exercise for the brain.
The study is in line with a focus on protecting our brains as we age. “We all experience cognitive decline as we age, it’s a normal part of aging,” Bloomberg said. “So that’s the age group where we start thinking, what are these little things we can do every day to improve our cognitive function and our independence and social participation?”