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If you ask people where they get their best ideas, they will probably say in the shower. That’s because a mindless activity like taking a shower or doing dishes can help your mind connect the dots. In fact, the shower is the perfect place to have a “brain blink” or creative idea, John Kounios, professor of psychology at Drexel University and co-author of the book The Eureka Factor: Aha Moments, Creative Insight, and the Brain told TIME.
But the shower isn’t the only place to come up with a great idea. A new study published in Plos Biology shows that working out today could lead to a bright idea a week later. Things like exercise, heart rate, and mood can affect how brains work for up to two weeks, reported The New York Post.
Study tracks lasting effects
Researchers from two Finnish universities, Aalto University in Otaniemi and the University of Oulu tracked a neuroscientist's brain to find out if a restless night or a workout can influence cognition, memory, and attention levels. The longitudinal study was published in October, 2024 in PLOS Biology.
Lead study author Ana Triana underwent brain scans twice a week and wore technology that tracked her movements as she went about daily activities. She also took mood surveys. This research was unusual in that it tracked one person using wearable technology instead of just using brain scans, according to a press release from Aalto University
“Our behavior and mental states are constantly shaped by our environment and experiences. Yet, we know little about the response of brain functional connectivity to environmental, physiological and behavioral changes on different timescales, from days to months,” Triana said in the press release
The study found a strong link between heart rate variability and brain connectivity. Physical activity was also shown to influence how the regions of the brain interact. Even small shifts in activity, heart rate, and mood lasted up to 15 days showing that your brain can reap the benefits of a good workout for weeks.
How a single-subject study can be used to help wellbeing
The researchers hope that this new approach to looking at how exercise and movement influences your brain activity, will inspire future studies that will combine brain data and everyday activities.
“The use of wearable technology was crucial,” Triana told The New York Post. “Brain scans are useful tools, but a snapshot of someone lying still for half an hour can only show so much. Our brains do not work in isolation.”
Being able to track brain changes in real time can be a game-changer in the detection of neurological disorders, especially for the treatment of mental health. “Linking brain activity with physiological and environmental data could revolutionize personalized healthcare, opening doors for earlier interventions and better outcomes,” Triana said in the press release. It’s more than just a good idea!
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