Slow and steady wins the race.
The benefits of exercise for the brain and mood are well documented and worthwhile — even taking a few thousand steps a day can positively affect cognitive function.
And whether you love it or hate it, just a few minutes of one exercise in particular can boost brain function and mood, even when done in an easygoing way.
From “insane marathons” to college campus “darties,” running is everywhere these days, and anyone can benefit — no matter how slow you go, according to recent research.
So exactly how much effort is necessary to reap the benefits? A study published in the journal Imaging Neuroscience put that question to the test.
Researchers had 24 healthy participants complete a very slow session on the treadmill — a pace close to walking two to four miles per hour — while looking at prefrontal cortical activity.
In a matter of 10 minutes, participants reported a more pleasant mood and measured a shorter Stroop interference time, which translates to better cognitive control, faster processing speed and efficient cognitive inhibition.
Additionally, researchers noticed increased activity in prefrontal regions of the brain associated with executive function and mood regulation.
A gentle up-and-down movement of the runner’s head, which was previously studied in mice walking on a treadmill, has been linked to improving mood and helping the brain clean itself — a crucial process called the glymphatic system.
Without this process, harmful proteins can accumulate, triggering inflammation, disrupting communication between brain cells and eventually leading to neuron damage.
The researchers behind the study ultimately believe that slower running paces at shorter intervals may benefit those who have low fitness levels or find traditional exercise challenging.
Other studies have also focused on how little running is necessary, with a 2021 study from the University of Tsukuba in Japan finding that 10 minutes is the sweet spot for a brain boost.
However, that study had participants run at a moderately intense pace.
Previous research from 2018 has also found that 10 minutes of very light intensity exercise of yoga, tai chi or a slow-paced walk enhanced the hippocampus, a region critical for creating new memories.
This adds to the theory that even short bouts of light-intensity exercise can have a positive and notable effect on cognitive function.
And starting low and slow could have greater benefits as more extreme efforts take a toll, like ultramarathons incidentally causing the brain to break down its protective barrier and start eating itself.
