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The Conversation
Mikaela Bloomberg, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL

Exercise boosts memory for up to 24 hours after a workout – new research

Moderate-to-vigorous exercise (such as cycling) was linked with better memory performance the next day. Zoran Pucarevic/ Shutterstock

What’s good for your heart is good for your brain. Just as physical activity helps keep our bodies fit and strong as we age, it also helps maintain our cognitive function – and is even linked with lower dementia risk.

Yet beyond the longer term cognitive benefits of physical activity, exercise also seems to give a short-term boost to cognitive performance lasting from minutes to hours. According to our latest study, this cognitive boost may last up to 24-hours after exercising. Because some cognitive abilities start to decline as we get older, even small boosts to cognitive function can help keep us active and independent for longer.

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