Impacts of Sleep & Exercise on the Brain

Our brain and emotions are continuously changing with every thought and experience, which means our behavior and mental states are shaped by decisions and habits. 

Researchers were interested in brain connectivity to environmental, physiological, and behavioral changes over days and months.  For a single study participant, who is also the lead author on this study, the research team collected behavioral data using smartphones and wearable technology for 5 months.  They also performed fMRI brain scans twice a week measuring attention, memory, and resting state.

The study states, “Every day, we wake up as a slightly different person, as our mental states are influenced by many external factors” because “brain areas and networks are engaged differently over time when performing a specific task.”

Researchers discovered that brain function can be impacted by behavior and lifestyle factors for up to the previous 15 days.  Lack of sleep and exercise had both immediate and longer-term negative consequences for attention and working memory.

These findings suggest that daily habits have a prolonged and sustained impact on cognition, and that investments in regular sleep and exercise “might be crucial for maintaining optimal brain network integration and communication over time.”

Takeaway:  Brain healthy habits, such as sufficient sleep and regular exercise, can positively impact brain function and cognitive capacity for up to 15 days. 

Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.

The Legal Brain: A Lawyer’s Guide to Well-being and Better Job Performance is available on Amazon.

Source

Ana Maria Triana, et al., Longitudinal single-subject neuroimaging study reveals effects of daily environmental, physiological, and lifestyle factors on functional brain connectivity, https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002797, Oct 8, 2024.

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