You don’t have to workout for a long time to reap some of its amazing benefits. Yes, working out builds strength and helps you lose weight. But did you know that just 10 minutes of exercise can help boost your memory? This is great news for people who don’t have a lot of time to exercise, or for people who don’t really enjoy workouts. Rest assured, even just 10 minutes can have a pretty impressive impact on your brain.
Last month, University of California researchers published a study, showing that 10 minutes of exercise can lead to improved communication between two areas of the brain: the hippocampus and the cortical region. These two regions are involved with storing memory and memory recall. But these are also the two areas of the brain that deteriorate as we get older.
Researchers took a small group of students – all in their 20s – and divided them into two groups. One group worked out before an exam. The other group rested. The students who exercised showed better communication in those memory-related brain regions. As a result they had more success in differentiating between memories and in overall cognitive performance.
10-minute workouts that boost memory
Not sure how to boost memory in just 10 minutes?
A restorative yoga flow is great. You can also just do sun salutations. A quick 10 minute walk to or from the parking lot counts as a quick workout. And the popular 7 minute full body workout helps you break into a sweat while strengthening your brain, too.
