Cognitive flexibility has been shown to improve after a medium intensity run
A notable experiment in 2007 showed that cognitive flexibility improves after just one 35 minute treadmill session at either 60 percent or 70 percent of maximum heart rate. The forty adults in the study (age fifty to sixty-four) were asked to rattle off alternative uses for common objects, like a newspaper — it’s meant for reading, but it can be used to wrap fish, line a birdcage, pack dishes, and so forth. Half of them watched a movie and the other half exercised, and they were tested before the session, immediately after, and again twenty minutes later. The movie watchers showed no change, but the runners improved their processing speed and cognitive flexibility after just one workout. Cognitive flexibility is an important executive function that reflects our ability to shift thinking and to produce a steady flow of creative thoughts and answers as opposed to a regurgitation of the usual responses.
References
- Haley, J., John. Hagerman, Eric. (2008). Spark Chapter 2. Learning (p. 65). New York, NY: Little Brown Spark.
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Biology / Neuroscience Status:☀️