Exercise not only benefits your body but also improves your memory, according to a new study.
The research by scientists at the University of California found that short bursts of activity – such as 10 minutes of slow walking, yoga or tai chi – led to increased connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage.
The researchers asked healthy volunteers in their early 20s to do 10 minutes of light exercise – at 30 per cent of their peak oxygen intake – before assessing their memory ability. The memory test was then repeated on the same volunteers without exercising.
In the brains of those who had exercised they discovered enhanced communication between the hippocampus – a region important in memory storage – and the cortical brain regions, which are involved in vivid recollection of memories.
The people who had exercised were better at separating or distinguishing between the different memories, the scientists wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (September 2018).
“An evening stroll is sufficient to get some benefit,” Michael Yassa, a neuroscientist at the University of California and project co-leader told The Guardian.
Yassa said that the frequency and exact amount of exercise will depend on the person’s age, level of mobility, potential disability and other lifestyle factors.
Letters to the Editor
Share your thoughts on this article or anything else important to you as nurses and midwives by sending a Letter to the Editor.
Four letters are published in the Lamp each month and the letter chosen as Letter of the Month will win a gift card. Please include a high-resolution photo along with your name, address, phone and membership number. You can submit your letter by emailing the Lamp:lamp@nswnma.asn.au