Boost Memory After Learning: Research Explains How An Exercise 4 Hours Later Can Help Retain Information Better

A new study suggests an intriguing but effective strategy to boost memory after learning is to hit the gym four hours later, helping solidify the new-learned information. On June 16, the Cell Press Journal Current Biology found that physical exercise after learning boosts memory and memory traces, but only after specific window hours - not immediately after learning.

Some hormones are released when we exercise and are known to be beneficial in solidifying and boosting memories. The study found a single session of delayed physical activity boosts memory up by 9% compared to those who did not exercise, or those who did immediately. It is not yet clear yet exactly how or why delayed exercise has this effect on memory.

To prove how this boosts memory, the 72 volunteers were shown 90 images of objects in varying locations on a computer screen. The participants were divided into three groups: the first group exercised immediately, the second after four hours, and the last performed no exercise at all. The exercise consisted of 35 minutes of interval training on a stationary bike of up to 80% of volunteers' maximum heart rates, The Sun reported.

Two days later, participants were called back for a test to see how much they can recall while their brain activity can be visualized via magnetic resonance imaging. Those who waited four hours before exercising scored an average of 87%, higher than those in the other two groups who scored an average of 80%. The brain image device also showed that exercise after a time delay was associated with more accurate portrayals in the hippocampus, a part of the brain contributing largely to learning and memory.

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Studies on animals also suggest chemical compounds naturally occurring in the body known as catecholamines, along with norepinephrine and dopamine, can boost memory. One way to boost these compounds is through physical exercise.

"Our study shows that we can improve memory consolidation by doing sports after learning," lead author Guillén Fernández, from Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said. The outcomes suggest that physical exercise on the right timing boosts long-term memory; it also highlights the capacity of exercise to influence educational and clinical settings, according to Science Daily.

Researchers will now use a similar experiment to study the timing of exercise and its influence on learning and memory in more detail. The study continues to find out why exercising after four hours of learning boosts memory. The findings are published in the journal Current Biology.