Relax in the gym: Intense training can impair your memory

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Relax in the gym: Intense training can impair your memory


HANNOVER, NH — Studies continue to conclude that exercise is good for the body, the brain, and general well-being. However, Dartmouth College researchers reveal the true complexity of the relationship between exercise, memory and mental health. Her study finds that the effects of exercise are much more nuanced; Differences in exercise intensity over a long period of time appear to result in different effects on memory and mental health.

“Mental health and memory are central to almost everything we do in our daily lives,” study lead author Jeremy Manning, assistant professor of psychology and brain science at Dartmouth, said in a press release. “Our study seeks to provide a basis for understanding how different intensities of physical activity affect different aspects of mental and cognitive health.”

No two workouts are exactly the same; Some people train extra hard, while others take a more low-key, less intense approach. The study authors gathered a group of 113 Fitbit users and asked each person to take a series of memory tests, answer some questions about their mental health, and share their fitness data from the previous year. Researchers expected that more active participants would have stronger memory skills and better mental health, but the results weren’t so straightforward.

It may be better for your brain to take it easy

Participants who typically exercised at low intensity actually performed better on some memory tasks compared to higher-intensity exercisers. Those who exercised more intensely also reported higher stress levels, while those who exercised less intensely showed less anxiety and depression.

Previous research projects focusing on movement and memory mostly lasted only a few days or weeks. The Dartmouth team wanted to analyze the impact over a much larger period of time. Data collected included daily step counts, average heart rates, time spent exercising in various FitBit-defined “heart rate zones” (rest, out of range, fat burning, cardio or peak), as well as additional information collected via a full calendar year.

The team used a total of four specific memory tasks for this project, each designed to measure a different important aspect of memory over different periods of time. One pair of tasks focused on testing “episodic” memory, or the memory we use to recall events from our past. Another task focused on testing “spatial” memory, or the type of memory people use to remember locations on a map. The final task tested “associative” memory, or the ability to remember connections between concepts or other memories.

The results show that exercisers who were more active in the previous year tended to perform better on memory tasks in general, but specific areas that could be improved varied depending on the person’s typical exercise routine.

Those who exercised at moderate intensity typically performed better on episodic memory tasks, while participants who exercised at high intensity typically performed better on spatial memory tasks. Meanwhile, people who generally did not exercise very often performed worse on the spatial memory tasks.

Mental disorders affect memory

Notably, the team also found links between participants’ mental health and memory scores. Those who reported struggling with depression or anxiety typically performed better on the spatial and associative memory tasks. However, participants with self-reported bipolar disorder performed better on episodic memory tasks. People under stress typically performed worse on associative memory tasks.

“When it comes to physical activity, memory and mental health, there’s a really complicated dynamic at play that can’t be summed up in single phrases like ‘walking improves your memory’ or ‘stress harms your memory,'” Professor Manning explains. “Instead, certain forms of physical activity and certain aspects of mental health appear to affect each aspect of memory differently.”

More work is needed, but the study authors are optimistic that their research will one day lead to exciting future applications.

“For example,” concludes Prof. Manning, “to help students prepare for an exam or to reduce their symptoms of depression, specific exercise programs could be designed to improve their cognitive performance and mental health.”

The study was published in Scientific Reports.

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