Doing exercise is really good for our brains, and where we do it matters a lot. A study wanted to find out if being outdoors while exercising is better for our thinking. So, a research group asked 30 people, who were around 21 years old, to take short walks both indoors and outdoors.

To see how their brains were doing, a special test called electroencephalography (EEG) was used. This test helps us understand how the brain works. This test was done before and after the walks to see if there were any changes.

Result

After a 15-minute walk outside, people did better on the brain test. There was a part of their brain, called the P300, that became more active. This part is linked to attention and working memory, which are important for thinking and remembering things. But this improvement didn’t happen after a 15-minute walk inside.

This tells us that being outside, especially in nature, can have a big impact on how well our brains work, especially when we’re doing a quick bit of exercise. It seems like the environment plays a more important role in making our brains sharper, at least for short bursts of exercise.

This is important because more and more people are living in cities, and many spend a lot of time indoors. Knowing that being outdoors, even for a short walk, can boost our thinking abilities is useful. It suggests that spending time in nature could help us stay healthy, not just physically, but also mentally.

Conclusion

So, if you want to get the most out of your exercise for your brain, consider taking a walk outside. This is especially important as our world becomes more focused on city living and spending time indoors. Making time for outdoor activities might be a smart way to keep our minds sharp and healthy in our busy lives.

Reference

Boere, K., Lloyd, K., Binsted, G. et al. Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better. Sci Rep 13, 1140 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26093-2

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