Regular exercise is generally good for us, but knowing the important things about how and when to exercise may better inform us of its benefits and harms. In a new study, researchers have shown that even short-term activities can give us significant brain power.
According to Science Alert, researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, reviewed data from 113 previous studies involving a total of 4,390 participants. Studies have shown that when people only do intermittent exercise sessions (say, one session a week rather than a three-session-a-week exercise routine), high-intensity activities like running work best to boost the brain’s cognitive ability.
Cycling and HIIT exercises specifically enhance executive function
Cycling and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) appear to be particularly effective for enhancing executive function. Executive function is the part of the brain’s cognitive capabilities that controls tasks such as working memory (remembering information in the short term), planning ahead, and the ability to multitask.
Barry Giesbrecht“Our work provides the strongest evidence yet for the positive effect of an exercise session on [قابلیت] It showed cognitive and this evidence was influenced by various factors.
The positive effect of non-continuous sessions on each measure related to cognitive performance was not the same. For example, while participants had better overall reaction times after non-continuous sessions, they had no increase in accuracy on cognitive tasks.
The difference in the improvement of different cognitive abilities means that several factors influence the results. It is likely that, with further research, specific exercise exercises can be designed to enhance distinct cognitive abilities, if needed. Furthermore, exercises that involve both mental and physical components may provide more comprehensive cognitive benefits.
