If you are looking to improve your ability to retain and recall information, then you might want to look into working out more often. However, it isn’t just working out that matters, but also “when” you work out.
A recent study published by Current Biology found that those individuals who had worked out on a stationary bike 4 hours after completing a memory task had better recollection—almost a 10% improvement—over those who worked out immediately following the task as well as those who didn’t exercise at all. According to Dr. Guillen Fernandez, this study suggests that exercising immediately after learning seems to interrupt the creation of new memories. He also thinks that more research needs to be done that looks into how different types of exercises and time gaps between learning and exercise would affect the memory.
The next time you are studying for an exam or preparing for an important work presentation, it might be a good idea to set aside time for exercise, preferably with a gap of a few hours in between. Acing that test will just be an added bonus to all the other health benefits that come from regular exercise.
Sources:
In Brief. Monitor on Psychology, September 2016.
Nierenberg, Cari. “Boost your memory with this simple trick”. CBS News. Web. 29 Sept, 2016.