Regular physical activity is known to improve brain health and lower the risk of dementia over time.
But a new study from researchers at Penn State College of Medicine shows that even daily movements, like walking the dog or doing household chores, offer immediate benefits for the brain.
According to the study, middle-aged adults who engaged in any form of physical activity—whether low or high intensity—showed cognitive improvements, specifically in processing speed, that made their brains function like those of people four years younger.
Published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, the study suggests that simple, everyday actions may help maintain mental sharpness without the need for intense workouts.
Jonathan Hakun, a neurology and psychology professor at Penn State, noted that “all movement is important,” and even small activities contribute to overall health.
This means that everyday physical activities, like taking short walks or doing household tasks, might play a direct role in keeping the mind healthy.
Previous research has mostly focused on the long-term benefits of physical activity on brain health, typically examining effects over months or even years.
This study, however, took a closer look at the short-term impact of physical activity on cognitive function, showing that mental processing can temporarily improve after just a few hours of activity.
To gather data, the research team used smartphone check-ins over a nine-day period. Participants were asked to check in six times a day, approximately every 3.5 hours, to report if they had been active since their last check-in.
They also rated the intensity of their activity—light, moderate, or vigorous. Light activities included walking or cleaning, while vigorous activities included running or fast biking.
After reporting their activity, participants played two “brain games,” one testing processing speed and the other testing working memory, which gives an idea of mental flexibility.
The study analyzed responses from 204 participants, aged 40 to 65, who were part of a larger project aimed at preventing cognitive decline. Participants lived in the Bronx, NY, and included a mix of racial backgrounds. None had any history of cognitive impairment.
Results showed that people who were active in the previous 3.5 hours performed better on tests of processing speed, making them appear cognitively younger.
While there was no direct improvement in working memory, response times during the memory tasks reflected the same positive trends seen in processing speed.
As people age, cognitive functions like memory and mental processing speed naturally decline. The study’s findings are exciting because they suggest that even brief movement can temporarily slow down this natural aging effect.
Hakun explained, “We get slower as we age, both physically and cognitively. The idea here is that we can momentarily counteract that through movement.”
Additionally, people who reported being active more frequently during the nine-day study seemed to experience more cognitive benefits than those who were less active.
This implies that regular movement, even at a lower intensity, could accumulate positive effects on brain health. However, Hakun pointed out that further research is needed to find the best types, amounts, and timing of physical activity for supporting cognitive health.
For future studies, Hakun hopes to pair these smartphone check-ins with devices that track activity to gain a clearer picture of how everyday movements impact mental functions over time.
By looking at physical activity data over longer periods, researchers may gain better insights into how daily movements contribute to brain health as we age, potentially revealing lifestyle strategies for healthy aging.
In summary, this study highlights the value of everyday activities for brain health, suggesting that even simple movements may keep the mind sharper.
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The research findings can be found in Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
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