The saying “a healthy mind in a healthy body” is not there in vain, although many underestimate the importance of keeping their body in shape. The main reason, perhaps, is the excuse that the time we need to dedicate for exercise is already taken up by other busy activities.
But the real question is, how much exercise do we need for a healthy mind? It turns out that the perfect amount of time is something that we can all achieve in our busy days, as it takes no longer than 10 minutes to get the cognitive boost that exercise offers.
A study published in Neuropsychologia examined the minimal time length needed for a person to get a boost in brain power and cognitive capacity after doing a single-bout of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise.
For this, they investigated the effects of 10-minute workouts on 14 volunteers (5 females and 9 males) aged 19-26. What they found was that the previously-known effects exercise has on our cognitive power could be also achieved in this time period.
It has been long observed that physical activity plays a crucial role in one’s cognitive power and memory, and scientists have proven that the brain gets a considerable boost from regular exercise.
However, previous findings have suggested that the time needed per day for this effect to occur was 20 minutes or more. This new research, however, managed to zero in on the exact minimum that makes the difference, and it’s one that is achievable even for the busiest person out there.
Aerobic and resistance training (either one or a combination of both) help the brain to form new neuronal connections between existing neurons, which, in turn, serves as a means of sharpening cognitive functioning, memory, and thinking abilities.
And the fact that 10 minutes is enough for this form of exercise to affect the brain, and thus your cognition, means that there’s no excuse that would stop you from doing it.
Allowing this to enter your daily routine and become a habit will equip you with a sharper mind and more energy throughout the day, while slowly working on keeping your body in at least some shape.
Do you do exercise? And if not, would you give this a go?
