The immediate brain boost you get after exercising may last more than a few short hours.
A [new study](https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-024-01683-7) suggests the cognitive benefits from a single bout of exercise continue for 24 hours.
Researchers analyzed data from 76 men and women, 50-83 years of age, who wore activity trackers for eight days and took a series of memory and thinking tests.
Participants who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on any given day scored better on memory tests the day after. Less time spent sitting and six hours or more of sleep a night were also linked to better cognitive outcomes, and deep sleep was especially helpful.
The researchers say exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, which help a range of cognitive functions.
More study is needed to determine whether these 24-hour boosts in cognitive performance contribute to longer-term brain health.
Source: [International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity](https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-024-01683-7)
Author Affiliations: University College London, University of Oxford