Most of us know that strenuous exercise can lead to sore extremities the next day.
But now scientists have discovered that the benefits for the brain can also be felt a day later.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) found that the short-term boost our brain receives after exercising persists throughout the next day.
Those who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day performed better on memory tests the next day.
Experts said improvements could be achieved with 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 support a variety of cognitive functions.
These neurochemical changes are understood to last up to a few hours after exercise.
However, other studies have shown that exercise-related brain states were longer lasting, and evidence suggests that exercise can improve mood for up to 24 hours.
The participants, aged 50 to 83, wore activity trackers for eight days and took cognitive tests every day.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) found that the short-term boost our brain receives after exercising persists throughout the following day (file image)
Those who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day performed better on memory tests the next day (file image)
The scientists looked at how much time they spent being sedentary, doing light physical activity, and doing moderate or vigorous physical activity.
They also quantified sleep duration and time spent in lighter (rapid eye movement, or REM) sleep and in deeper, slow-wave sleep.
After taking into account average activity and sleep levels, they found that more moderate or vigorous physical activity compared to a person’s average was related to better working memory and episodic memory (memory for events) the next day.
These benefits were also felt by people who spent less time sitting and slept six hours or more.
Getting more sleep overall was linked to better episodic and working memory and psychomotor speed, a measure of how quickly a person detects and responds to the environment.
Experts said improvements could be achieved with something as simple as running up the stairs (file image)
Those who had the most slow waves (deep, restful sleep) had better episodic memory, according to findings published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
In contrast, spending more time sedentary than usual was related to poorer working memory the next day.
Dr Mikaela Bloomberg, from UCL, said: “Our findings suggest that the benefits of physical activity for short-term memory may last longer than previously thought, possibly into the next day rather than just a few hours after exercise.” Getting more sleep, especially deep sleep, appears to contribute to this memory improvement.
‘Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that speeds up the heart rate; It can be brisk walking, dancing, or climbing a few flights of stairs. It doesn’t have to be a structured exercise.
“This is a small study, so it needs to be replicated with a larger sample of participants before we can be sure of the results.”