Don't Forget to Exercise

By Editorial Staff

We're not offering this reminder purely because exercise keeps your body fit and reduces your risk of disease; research also links exercise with improved brain health, in the form of better memory. Better body, better mind – now that's a win-win. Let's see what the latest research says.

Researchers evaluated memory following exercise in 15 young, healthy men under one of three different conditions: after 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling, 15 minutes of high-intensity cycling, or after a period of rest. Following each scenario, the men took a memory test that challenged participants' recall of a predefined, repeated sequence via computer. They also received functional MRI and blood tests to assess how the area of the brain responsible for memory reacted following exercise vs. rest.

memory - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Men who performed intense exercise performed better on the memory test and showed greater activation of regions of the brain responsible for memory and motor processing compared to men who performed less-intense exercise or none at all. It's important to note that none of the study participants were considered athletes, which means previous fitness did not play a role in the results. Study findings appear in the research journal Scientific Reports.

So, what are you waiting for? If you can't remember, we'll spell it out for you: It's time to exercise! Your body and brain will thank you for it.



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