Want to remember more for tomorrow? Try getting some exercise today. A recent study suggests that older adults who engage in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than usual tend to perform better on memory tests the next day.
Researchers have found that staying active throughout the day and getting at least six hours of good sleep can further improve mental performance. This study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, builds on prior research showing that exercise benefits brain health. Mikaela Bloomberg, PhD, from University College London, highlighted that while laboratory studies show a cognitive boost shortly after exercising, they wanted to see if the benefits last beyond the initial hours outside of a lab environment.
To investigate this link between exercise and memory, researchers studied 76 adults aged 50 to 83 in the UK. Participants wore wrist trackers for eight days to monitor their physical activity and sleep patterns and took memory tests daily. The study found that 30 additional minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity improved short-term working memory and long-term episodic memory, which involves recalling specific events the next day. Light physical activities, like taking the stairs or simply walking, didn’t show the same next-day memory benefits.
Even when accounting for sleep scores, the connection between exercise and better cognitive performance remained. Moreover, they discovered a separate link between increased sleep and improved episodic memory and psychomotor speed, indicating how quickly one can process and respond to information. Bloomberg emphasized that sleep and physical activity are closely related, as sleep quality can be influenced by physical activity, affecting how much and which stages of sleep someone experiences.
Experts say these findings aren’t surprising. Regular physical activity is increasingly linked to enhanced cognitive abilities and may potentially reduce the risk of future dementia. This research reinforces that staying active is crucial for optimal brain function.
However, the study did have some limitations, such as its small participant pool and limited diversity in cognitive health. The reason moderate exercise, rather than lighter activity, boosts memory may be because it enhances the brain’s capability to produce new cells and rewire itself, strengthening memory overall. Studies involving brain imaging and measuring memory-related neurochemicals and lactate levels—often increased after exercise—support this idea.
Bloomberg also notes that moderate exercise can ease stress and anxiety, which can aid memory. The CDC describes moderate-to-vigorous activities as those that make you work hard enough to breathe harder, raise your heart rate, and break a sweat. Examples of moderate exercise include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing to fast-paced music, while vigorous activities could be jogging, running, or engaging in sports like basketball or football. It’s not just the type of exercise but also its duration that matters; activities should be challenging enough that maintaining a conversation feels difficult.
