Are you forgetting quite often? A brisk walk, dance, or climbing a few flights of stairs may be key to boosting your memory, and the benefits may last for a day, finds a study on Tuesday. 

Previous research has shown that people’s cognitive performance improves in the hours after exercise, but how long this benefit lasts is unknown.

The new study, led by University College London (UCL) researchers showed that the more moderate to vigorous physical activity (which can increase heart rate) that people aged 50 to 83 do, the better memory they are likely to have the day after.

Less time spent sitting and six hours or more of sleep were also linked to better scores in memory tests the next day.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought.

The benefits may extend “to the next day instead of just a few hours after exercise”, said lead author Dr. Mikaela Bloomberg, from the Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care at UCL.

“Getting more sleep, particularly deep sleep, seems to add to this memory improvement,” she added.

The researchers explained that, in the short term, exercise increases blood flow to the brain. It stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine which help a range of cognitive functions.

Previously known to last up to a few hours only after exercise, the latest study noted that other brain states linked to exercise were more long-lasting. For instance, evidence suggests exercise can enhance mood for up to 24 hours.

For the study, the team analysed data from 76 men and women who wore activity trackers for eight days and took cognitive tests each day.

The participants who indulged in brisk walking, dancing, or walking up a few flights of stairs, rather than a structured exercise immediate cognitive benefits which lasted longer than thought earlier.

Conversely, more time spent being sedentary than usual was linked to worse working memory the next day.

“This was a small study and so it needs to be replicated with a larger sample of participants before we can be certain about the results.”

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