Despite its unpopularity among fitness freaks and likes, an exercise in the morning is said to be far more effective. If you didn’t believe it, we hate to break it to you, but a recent study agreed to it. The study says a light workout in the morning has an association with short-term memory benefits. So, you know truly need that morning workout, in case you just forgot what you ate for breakfast today.
The research says that morning exercise when done in a combination of brief light intensity walking between an 8hour of sedentary work can be extremely beneficial. The study observed different cognitive responses to morning workout in comparison to walking breaks between adults, suggesting different patterns of physical activity.
To observe the effects of workout on a treadmill, with and without brief 3 minute walking breaks during an 8 hour day to disrupt prolonged sitting over 65 participants between the ages of 55-80 were recruited; different aspects of cognition and concentration including attention, working memory, visual learning, psychomotor function as well as executive functions such as decision making were also assessed.
The study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It also added that a protein injection was found to elevate neuron transmission for 8 hours during both exercise conditions. The researchers also said that their study highlighted an important need to avoid prolonged uninterrupted periods of sitting in order to maintain and promote optimal cognition throughout the day, and moderate intensity exercise such as brisk walks should be encouraged for daily maintenance of brain health.
Michael Wheeler points out, “With an aging population which is looking to live healthier for longer, these studies are critical to people enjoying a productive and satisfying quality of life. This study highlights how relatively simple changes to your daily routine could have a significant benefit to your cognitive health. It also reveals that one day we may be able to do specific types of exercise to enhance specific cognitive skills such as memory or learning.”
