For decades people have been reiterating the benefits of exercise. Looking for ways to feel better in your own skin and have more energy? Just exercise. Hoping to add years to your life? Move your body. Not only can regular workouts help you to lose weight and stave off an array of diseases, but according to new research it might even offer a boost in memory for up to 24 hours.
According to research published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, improvement in cognitive performance due to exercise can last upwards of 24 hours.
“Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise," Lead author Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg said in a press release.
Although exercise has previously been shown to improve memory in short spurts, this new research aims to show that positive cognitive effects may last longer than we originally thought.
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For the study, researchers recruited 76 adults between the ages of 50 and 83, none of whom had a dementia or cognitive impairment diagnosis. Each individual wore a wrist accelerometer—a device used to collect to track physical activity, sleep patterns, and other daily behaviors like circadian metrics—for eight days. Researchers tracked the data and found that more moderate and vigorous activity compared to the participant's normal routine provided improved working (short-term) and episodic memory (the ability to recall specific past events) the day after.
“Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that gets your heart rate up—this could be brisk walking, dancing or walking up a few flights of stairs," Bloomberg added. "It doesn’t have to be structured exercise."
But that's not all. With the use of the accelerometer, the analysts also studied the individual's sleep patterns. They found that not only did participants who received six or more hours of sleep have improved episodic memory and psychomotor speed (the ability to detect and respond to rapid changes in an environment), but experiencing 30 minutes more REM sleep than normal increased the individual's attention scores.
“This study provides evidence that the immediate cognitive benefits of exercise may last longer than we thought. It also suggests good sleep quality separately contributes to cognitive performance," co-author Professor Andrew Steptoe said.
To break it down plainly—more sleep and more activity equals better memory and attention in more ways than one.
It's important to note while this study shows a boost in short-term memory it doesn't state whether those effects are long-lasting or not.
“We can’t establish from this study whether these short-term boosts to cognitive performance contribute to longer-term cognitive health and though there is plenty of evidence to suggest physical activity might slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk, it’s still a matter of some debate," Steptoe said.
