People who only can squeeze in quick workouts here and there may still reap cognitive health benefits, new research shows.
A study published in Communications Psychology analyzed decades of research into the cognitive effects of exercise to determine how single workout sessions affect thinking. Researchers found brief bouts of aerobic exercise are linked to small performance enhancements on cognitive tasks, particularly those that require quick response times and executive function — a set of mental skills that include attention, working memory and impulse control.
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Past research has consistently found that regular exercise improves cognition and promotes neurogenesis. But research into the effects of single bouts of exercise has produced mixed results. So the researchers looked for the most consistent patterns in these past studies.
"We all know that consistent exercise has positive effects on emotional and cognitive function, in addition to the general improvements in health," study author Barry Giesbrecht, a University of California, Santa Barbara professor, told PsyPost. "Here we show that even a single acute bout of exercise can have positive effects on cognition, especially executive functioning."
The researchers defined an "acute bout" as an instance of physical activity that occurred within a single, 24-hour period.
They analyzed 113 studies published between 1995 and 2023 that included data from 4,300 healthy people ages 18-45. The studies involved various exercise intensities ranging from light to vigorous, and various types – cycling, running, high-intensity interval training, resistance training and sports. The cognitive tasks in the studies tested participants' memory, attention, executive function, motor skills and decision-making.
The researchers determined a single bout of exercise had a "small but significant positive effect on overall cognitive performance," PsyPost reported. Tasks involving executive functions consistently showed the most improvements, and tasks requiring attention and quick reaction times also were greatly improved.
The type of exercise also played an important role. Vigorous-intensity workouts yielded the greatest cognitive enhancements, with cycling and HIIT training the most beneficial — particularly in executive function. Moderate-intensity exercise led to smaller but detectable difference.
To give your mind a boost, here are several types of aerobic exercise suggested by Healthline that can be done in short intervals at home or at the gym:
• Jumping rope
• Completing a strength circuit involving squats, lunges, pushups, triceps dips and torso twists
• Running or jogging
• Swimming
• Riding a stationary bike
• Using an elliptical machine
• Taking a kickboxing or zumba class