A small new study out of the University of Tsukuba in Japan looked at 24 healthy young adults who completed a slow, 10-minute run on the treadmill in one session and rested in another.<\/p>\n
After the easy jog, participants performed faster on a test of attention and self-control and reported feeling more alert and pleasant than they did after the resting phase, according to the study, which was published in the journal Imaging Neuroscience in August.<\/p>\n
‘PERFECT’ WORKOUT FORMULA CAN TAKE JUST 10 MINUTES A DAY, HILARIA BALDWIN SAYS<\/a><\/p>\n Brain monitoring after the jog also showed more activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for focus and decision-making.<\/p>\n A small study suggests even a brief, easy jog may offer a short-term boost in mood and focus. (iStock)<\/p>\n The jog was purposely kept easy,<\/a> with participants going at speeds from 1.9 to 3.7 mph on the treadmill. Their average heart rates clocked in at 105 to 107 beats per minute.<\/p>\n SIMPLE BODY MOVEMENT COULD HELP THE BRAIN ‘CLEAN ITSELF,’ RESEARCHERS FIND<\/a><\/p>\n “A single bout of running, even at very slow speed, elicits a pleasant mood and improved executive function,” the researchers found.<\/p>\n They added that the finding “sheds light on the slow running benefits to brain health.”<\/a><\/p>\n Even gentle movement can provide a mental reset, though the study\u2019s findings were limited to one short session. (iStock)<\/p>\n JUST 10 MINUTES OF DAILY FLOOR EXERCISES MAY IMPROVE BALANCE AND AGILITY, STUDY FINDS<\/a><\/p>\n The benefits, they noted, stuck around even after participants’ heart rates returned to baseline.<\/p>\n The greater the up-and-down head movement during the jog, the more positive participants’ mood was afterward, though that finding was exploratory and does not necessarily prove cause and effect.<\/p>\n 5 COMMON WALKING MISTAKES THAT COULD HURT YOUR PROGRESS, ACCORDING TO AN EXPERT<\/a><\/p>\n “Easy movement triggers the norepinephrine and dopamine pathways that wake up the part of the brain that is in charge of focus and self-control,” explained Dr. John La Puma, a California-based internist and author of “Indoor Epidemic,” who was not involved in the study.<\/p>\n Brain monitoring during the post-jog attention test showed greater activity in prefrontal regions involved in focus and decision-making. (iStock)<\/p>\n Experts agree, however, that it does not mean one brief workout could be a cure-all.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n “A brief jog should help someone get some energy in their system, which may make them feel better about themselves mentally and help them focus,” said Dr. Scott Nass, a California-based family medicine physician at SwiftCareMD.<\/p>\n But Nass, who also wasn’t involved in the research, said that the effect is likely temporary.<\/p>\n Participants completed a test measuring attention and self-control after a 10-minute easy jog and after a resting session. (iStock)<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n For people living with depression or anxiety, a jog may briefly clear the mind but is “no substitute for medical care,” he told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n The study was also limited in that it included just 24 healthy, young adults and measured outcomes immediately after just one exercise session<\/a>. The findings cannot be assumed to apply to older adults, novice runners or people with health conditions and larger studies are needed to confirm the results, Nass said.<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n For a practical approach, La Puma suggested taking a 10-minute walk outside<\/a> before the most mentally demanding part of the day. Add 30-second jogging intervals, keeping the pace easy enough to speak in full sentences without becoming breathless, he said.<\/p>\n After the slow jog, participants reported feeling more alert and pleasant than they did following the resting session. (iStock)<\/p>\n![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/seniors-light-jog.jpg\")
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