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 after 24 hours.
University College London Researchers from UCL discovered that the temporary cognitive enhancement our brain experiences after exercising lasts for an entire day afterwards.
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 action 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.
Nevertheless, various research indicates that the mental states associated with physical activity persist over longer periods, with findings pointing out that exercise has the potential to improve one’s mood for as much as 24 hours.
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Individuals between the ages of 50 and 83 wore fitness monitors for eight consecutive days and underwent daily cognitive assessments.
Researchers examined the duration of time participants spent being sedentary, engaging in light physical activities, and undertaking moderate to intense physical exercises.
They also measured the amount of sleep and the time allocated to lighter stages like rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as well as deeper, slow-wave sleep.
When accounting for typical daily activities and rest periods, the study revealed that engaging in higher amounts of moderate or intense exercise relative to one's usual level 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 slow-wave—deep, recuperative sleep—showed 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 commented, "Our research indicates that the positive impact of physical activity on short-term memory might extend for a longer duration than we initially believed—potentially up until the following day rather than merely lasting a few hours post-exercise. Additionally, obtaining greater amounts of sleep, specifically deep sleep, appears to enhance this memory boost."
'Moderate or intense physical activity includes anything that elevates your heartbeat - examples include fast-paced walking, dancing, or climbing several flights of stairs. This does not necessarily require formal workout routines.'
'This was a limited study, so it must be repeated with a bigger participant group to ensure the reliability of the findings.