How can exercise boost brain power even if you have trouble falling or staying asleep?
Groundbreaking research led by the University of Portsmouth has found that moderate-intensity exercise can significantly improve cognitive performance (CP) even under extreme conditions of sleep deprivation and low oxygen levels. This finding challenges conventional notions about the effects of sleep and oxygenation on our mental abilities.
The study, published in Physiology and Behavior, included 24 members in add up to, separated into two tests. The first looked at the effects of partial sleep deprivation, while the second looked at the combination of total sleep deprivation and hypoxia on cerebral palsy.
The results surprised experts, as a 20-minute cycling session consistently improved cognitive performance, regardless of sleep status or oxygen levels.
Dr Joe Costello, from the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, commented on the importance of the study: “This is the first study to suggest that exercise improves cerebral palsy after total and partial sleep deprivation and when combined with hypoxia. “The findings significantly expand what we know about the relationship between exercise and these stressors, and help reinforce the message that movement is medicine for the body and brain.”
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The first experiment challenged participants by limiting their sleep to just five hours a night for three days. Although they showed inconsistent cognitive performance at rest, they experienced notable improvements after the exercise session.
The second experiment had participants spend an entire night without sleep in an environment with low oxygen levels. Despite these extreme conditions, exercise continued to improve cognitive performance.
Dr. Thomas Williams, co-lead author from the University’s Extreme Environments Research Group, explained the choice to examine a combination of stressors: “Sleep deprivation is often experienced in combination with other stressors. For example, people who travel at high altitudes may also experience a disruption in their sleep pattern.”
Increased blood flow
The study suggests that increased cerebral blood flow and oxygenation could be behind the improved cognitive performance during exercise, even under conditions of low oxygen levels. The hypothesis challenges the belief that cognitive performance depends solely on the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, pointing out the complexity of the neurobiological mechanisms involved.
Despite these encouraging results, the researchers acknowledge that the study focused on young, healthy people, and they plan to conduct additional research with a more diverse sample.
This discovery could have significant implications not only for athletes and exercise enthusiasts but also for those who face sleep challenges or low oxygen levels in everyday situations, such as parents of young children and shift workers.
The multidisciplinary team behind this study included collaborators from the University of Chichester, the University of Surrey, Teesside University, Tokyo University of Electrocommunications in Japan and Sao Paulo State University in Brazil.
These findings open a new chapter in understanding how exercise can counteract the detrimental effects of common stressors on our cognitive performance. In addition to reinforcing the belief that just a little daily physical activity has an impact on our general well-being.
