Visiting the Gym Today Can Spark a Brighter Idea Next Week, New Study Shows

The daily effects of sleep, exercise, heart rate, and emotions—both good and bad—may linger in our minds for more than two weeks, according to a pioneering study.

Finnish researchers tracked one person’s brain and behavior for five months using brain scans and data from devices and smartphones.

Ana Triana, the leader of the research, says: “We wanted to go beyond unusual events. “Our behavior and mental states are always influenced by our environment and experiences. However, we know little about the response of the brain’s connectivity to environmental, physical and behavioral changes over time, from days to months.”

Research has found that our brains do not respond to everyday life in sudden, isolated bursts. Instead, brain activity changes based on sleep patterns, exercise, mood and breathing rate over many days.

This suggests that exercising or not getting a good night’s rest even from last week can still affect your brain—and thus your attention, cognition, and memory—into the next week.

Although the study did not focus solely on exercise, the results speak to what cardiologist Dr. Benjamin Levine recently spoke on a popular health and fitness podcast about how exercise should be considered part of “personal hygiene.”

Physical exercise was also found in a Finnish experiment to positively influence the way brain regions interact, which can affect memory and cognitive flexibility. Even subtle changes in mood and heart rate left a lasting impression of up to fifteen days.

The research is rare, a release from Aalto University suggests, because few studies of the brain involve a thorough examination over days and weeks.

Triana says: “It was important to use wearable technology. “Brain scans are useful tools, but a picture of someone sleeping for half an hour can show a lot more. Our brains don’t work on their own.”

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Triana was the one being investigated, being monitored as she went about her daily life. Her unique role as lead author and participant in the study added complexity, but also brought insight into maintaining research integrity over several months of individual data collection.

“In the beginning, it was exciting and stressful. After that, the things you are used to become fixed and you forget,” says Triana. Data from devices and bi-weekly brain scans are complemented by qualitative data from emotional research.

The researchers found two different response patterns: a short-term wave that lasts less than seven days and a long-term wave of up to fifteen days. The first shows rapid adaptation, such as how concentration is affected by little sleep, but also quick recovery. The long wave suggests gradual, lasting effects, especially in areas related to attention and memory.

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This study is also proof of concept of patient research. Tracking brain changes in real time can help detect neurological problems early, especially in mental health conditions where subtle symptoms may be present.

“Connecting brain activity with physical and environmental information can revolutionize health care, opening the door for earlier interventions and better outcomes,” concluded Triana.

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