The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

Previous research in a laboratory setting has shown that people’s cognitive performance improves in the hours after exercise, but how long this benefit lasts is unknown.

The new study, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, found that, on average, people aged 50 to 83 who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day did better in memory tests the day after.

Less time spent sitting and six hours or more of sleep were also linked to better scores in memory tests the next day.

More deep (slow-wave*) sleep also contributed to memory function, and the research team found this accounted for a small portion of the link between exercise and better next-day memory.

The research team looked at data from 76 men and women who wore activity trackers for eight days and took cognitive tests each day.

Lead author Dr Mikaela Bloomberg (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said: “Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise. Getting more sleep, particularly deep sleep, seems to add to this memory improvement.

“Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that gets your heart rate up – this could be brisk walking, dancing or walking up a few flights of stairs. It doesn’t have to be structured exercise.

“This was a small study and so it needs to be replicated with a larger sample of participants before we can be certain about the results.”

In the short term, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine which help a range of cognitive functions.

These neurochemical changes are understood to last up to a few hours after exercise. However, the researchers noted that other brain states linked to exercise were more long-lasting. For instance, evidence suggests exercise can enhance mood for up to 24 hours.

A previous study, published by a separate research team in 2016, also found more synchronised activity in the hippocampus (a marker of increased hippocampal function, which facilitates memory function) for 48 hours after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) cycling.  

Co-author Professor Andrew Steptoe (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care) said: “Among older adults, maintaining cognitive function is important for good quality of life, wellbeing, and independence. It’s therefore helpful to identify factors that can affect cognitive health on a day-to-day basis.

“This study provides evidence that the immediate cognitive benefits of exercise may last longer than we thought. It also suggests good sleep quality separately contributes to cognitive performance.

“However, we can’t establish from this study whether these short-term boosts to cognitive performance contribute to longer term cognitive health and though there is plenty of evidence to suggest physical activity might slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk, it’s still a matter of some debate.”

For the new study, the researchers looked at data from wrist-worn activity trackers to determine how much time participants spent being sedentary, doing light physical activity, and doing moderate or vigorous physical activity. They also quantified sleep duration and time spent in lighter (rapid eye movement, or REM) sleep and deeper, slow-wave sleep.

In looking at the links between different types of activity and next-day cognitive performance, the research team adjusted for a wide variety of factors that might have distorted the results, including the amount of moderate or vigorous physical activity that participants did on the day of the tests.

They also accounted for participants’ average levels of activity and sleep quality across the eight days they were tracked, as participants who are habitually more active and typically have higher-quality sleep perform better in cognitive tests.

The team found that more moderate or vigorous physical activity compared to a person’s average was linked to better working memory and episodic memory (memory of events) the next day. More sleep overall was linked to improved episodic and working memory and psychomotor speed (a measure of how quickly a person detects and responds to the environment). More slow-wave sleep was linked to better episodic memory.

Conversely, more time spent being sedentary than usual was linked to worse working memory the next day.

The study is among the first to evaluate next-day cognitive performance using a “micro-longitudinal” study design where participants were tracked going about their normal lives rather than having to stay in a lab.

Among the study limitations, the researchers noted that the participants were a cognitively healthy group, meaning the results might not be true for people who have neurocognitive disorders.

The study involved researchers from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science and the University of Oxford, and received funding from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

*Slow-wave sleep was given its name based on the characteristic brain waves that can be observed during this stage of sleep. It is deep, restorative sleep, where a person’s heart rate slows and blood pressure decreases.

In an exciting move to promote healthier living among Filipinos, Santé Barley, the barley authority in the Philippines, proudly announces its role as a co-presenter and the Official Nutrition Partner of HOKA Trilogy Run Asia 2024. 

Since its inception in 2010, HOKA Trilogy Run Asia formerly known as RUNRIO Trilogy, has fueled the nation’s passion for running, cultivating an active lifestyle, and nurturing a vibrant community of athletes and enthusiasts alike. Now that more Filipinos are embracing the sport and the running scene has matured, Santé Barley recognizes the significance of this partnership, marking a pivotal moment for the brand as it expands its reach and advocates for an active and healthy lifestyle. 

The increase in the number of participants was evident during the opening race on April 8, with 8,000 runners taking part. Subsequently, more people have been registering, and organizers anticipate a turnout of at least 64,000 participants for this year’s HOKA Trilogy Run Asia.

Santé CEO Joey Marcelo expressed his enthusiasm, noting that this partnership represents a significant opportunity to promote healthier lifestyles among Filipinos. “We are thrilled to partner with HOKA Trilogy Run Asia, not only to expand Santé Barley’s reach but, more importantly, to promote health and fitness across the Philippines.

Just as Santé Barley is packed with nutritional benefits, we believe in holistic wellness, and this alliance presents an exciting opportunity to inspire individuals to live more and do more,” said Marcelo. 

Marcelo also shared that within the Santé community, more employees and business owners are joining the races, making running a viable, affordable, and accessible choice to stay active. 

“The beauty of running is that you can do it whenever and wherever you want. Whether you run solo, with groups, or even if you don’t join races like this and just set your own PRs (personal records), you can still enjoy the sport. So, I am really glad that we get to share this positive outlook on running within the Santé community and, of course, with the general public,” Marcelo added.

 The partnership aligns perfectly with HOKA Trilogy Run Asia’s mission of promoting inclusivity and encouraging Filipinos to confidently adopt a healthier lifestyle. With a growing number of participants in their races, HOKA Trilogy Run Asia is expanding its reach to locations across the Philippines. Santé Barley’s support will further fuel this enthusiasm, fostering a positive, health-conscious community through running. 

The races will take place across six cities in the country, including Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo/Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao, with a National Finals in Pasay, featuring a total of 19 races nationwide. Several races have already been completed but interested runners can check out the dates below to participate in the upcoming legs.

  Upcoming Races:

• Bacolod (July 28, 2024)
• Pasay, Manila (August 4, 2024)
• Cebu (August 18, 2024)
• Cagayan De Oro (September 15 and October 27, 2024)
• Baguio (September 29, 2024)
• Iloilo (October 13, 2024)
• Davao (October 20, 2024)
• National Finals in Pasay (December 8, 2024)

In every race organized by RunRio Inc., Santé Barley sets up a booth where participants can enjoy Santé Barley products and experience the benefits of Santé before and after the race. This addition significantly enhances the overall race experience, providing runners with the necessary nutrition to perform and recover better. 

Santé Barley’s digital presence will also play a role in promoting the said races, with the help of its e-branches in Luzon (including Baguio City), Visayas (Cebu, Iloilo, and Bacolod), and Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro and Davao). Santé Barley is also part of other Run Rio races like Earth Day Run, Clark Marathon, Manila Half Marathon, and Manila Marathon, further solidifying its commitment to promoting running as a way to live healthier lives. 

Through this partnership, Santé Barley, RunRio Inc. and HOKA Trilogy Run Asia are not only promoting fitness and athleticism but also championing a lifestyle centered on well-being, vitality, and overall health.

Together, they aim to inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds to embrace the journey towards a healthier, more active future. To learn more about Santé Barley and other Santé products, visit its website at mySanté.com. 

Aerobic training is known to regulate blood pressure more effectively when practiced in the evening than in the morning. Now, researchers conducted a study of elderly patients at the University of São Paulo’s School of Physical Education and Sports (EEFE-USP) in Brazil, and they concluded that evening exercise is better for blood pressure regulation thanks to improved cardiovascular control by the autonomic nervous system via a mechanism known as baroreflex sensitivity.

An article on this study, “Evening but not morning aerobic training improves sympathetic activity and baroreflex sensitivity in elderly patients with treated hypertension”, was published in the The Journal of Physiology.

“There are multiple mechanisms to regulate blood pressure, and although morning training was beneficial, only evening training improved short-term control of blood pressure by enhancing baroreflex sensitivity. This is important because baroreflex control has a positive effect on blood pressure regulation, and there aren’t any medications to modulate the mechanism,” Leandro Campos de Brito, first author of the article, said.

In the study, 23 elderly patients diagnosed and treated for hypertension were randomly allocated into two groups: morning training and evening training. Both groups trained for ten weeks on a stationary bicycle at moderate intensity, with three 45-minute sessions per week.

Key cardiovascular parameters were analyzed, such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate after ten minutes’ rest. The data was collected before and at least three days after the volunteers completed the ten weeks of training. 

The researchers also monitored mechanisms pertaining to the autonomic nervous system (which controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and other involuntary bodily functions), such as muscle sympathetic nerve activity (which regulates peripheral blood flow via contraction and relaxation of blood vessels in muscle tissue) and sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity (assessing control of blood pressure via alterations to muscle sympathetic nerve activity).

In the evening training group, all four parameters analyzed were found to improve: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity. In the morning training group, no improvements were detected in muscle sympathetic nerve activity, systolic blood pressure or sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity.

Evening training was more effective in terms of improving cardiovascular autonomic regulation and lowering blood pressure. This can be partly explained as due to an improvement in baroreflex sensitivity and a reduction of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, which increased in the evening.

“For now, all we know is that baroreflex control is the decisive factor, from the cardiovascular standpoint at least, to make evening training more beneficial than morning training, since it induces the other benefits analyzed. However, much remains to be done in this regard in order to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved,” said Brito.

Baroreflex sensitivity regulates each heartbeat interval and controls autonomic activity throughout the organism.

“It’s a mechanism that involves sensitive fibers and deformations in the walls of arteries in specific places, such as the aortic arch and carotid body. When blood pressure falls, this region warns the brain region that controls the autonomic nervous system, which in turn signals the heart to beat faster and tells the arteries to contract more strongly. If blood pressure rises, it warns the heart to beat more slowly and tells the arteries to contract less. In other words, it modulates arterial pressure beat by beat,” Brito said. 

In previous studies, the EEFE-USP research group showed that evening aerobic training reduced blood pressure more effectively than morning training in hypertensive men (read more at agencia.fapesp.br/34194), and that the more effective response to evening training in terms of blood pressure control was accompanied by a greater reduction in systemic vascular resistance and systolic pressure variability (read more at agencia.fapesp.br/37432).  

“Replication of the results obtained in previous studies and in different groups of hypertensive patients, associated with the use of more precise techniques to evaluate the main outcomes, has strengthened our conclusion that aerobic exercise performed in the evening is more beneficial to the autonomic nervous system in patients with hypertension. This can be especially important for those with resistance to treatment with medication,” Brito ended.