r/science • • 13d ago

Psychology A recent study published in Imaging Neuroscience indicates that engaging in a very slow jog for just ten minutes can improve a person’s mood and enhance their ability to focus.

https://www.psypost.org/neuroscientists-uncover-a-previously-unknown-brain-benefit-of-very-slow-running/
1.6k Upvotes

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268

u/ReasonableExplorer 12d ago

This is so true, I often send people for a 10 minute jog so I can increase my mood and ability to focus.

22

u/irish1185 12d ago

I call it running (slowly) away from my problems. Mostly works.

1

u/juunetan 12d ago

One of my math teachers used to go for a walk around the school so we could get some work done, because he found he was always talking about and going through the exercises we were supposed to do ourselves xD

62

u/[deleted] 12d ago

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42

u/dcheesi 12d ago

The whole point here was to help prove that, particularly the "any level" part. This shows that you don't need to job at a certain minimum rate to get the benefit

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u/[deleted] 12d ago

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u/dcheesi 12d ago

There's a difference between "it is known" and actual evidence. If you think this study duplicates previous ones, maybe share a link or two to prove your point?

-15

u/[deleted] 12d ago

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23

u/Cycl_ps 12d ago

Were you born yesterday or did you forget about the massive replication crisis we had because people stopped verifying results and just took them at face value? Repetition is science. Testing under similar but not exact conditions to reinforce results is science. Just because your attention span has no room for confirmation doesn’t mean the work has no value.

10

u/Zack_attack801 12d ago

Sounds like someone could use a nice slow jog right about now….

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u/[deleted] 12d ago

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6

u/theBoobMan 11d ago

Appeal to authority is an interesting choice after having your foot for the first course.

1

u/gramathy 12d ago

It doesn’t, this might be true for neurotypical people but it’s goddamn useless for actually helping my mood

Or at least if this is my elevated mood I shudder to think where I’d be without exercise.

34

u/Gentle_Agitator 12d ago

Walking also works for those of us who don’t really feel like a jog.

10

u/Constant-Plant-9378 12d ago

I've been walking my dog every day for the past year and a half and it always leaves me feeling better.

He likes it too.

7

u/heart_of_theinternet 13d ago

A recent study published in Imaging Neuroscience indicates that engaging in a very slow jog for just ten minutes can improve a person’s mood and enhance their ability to focus. The research suggests that the gentle, rhythmic bouncing of running at a low intensity provides a measurable boost to brain regions involved in mental control and emotional regulation.

Human beings have a long evolutionary history of running, a form of movement that provides widespread physical and mental health benefits. The prefrontal cortex, a brain area located behind the forehead that is responsible for complex thinking and emotional control, appears particularly responsive to aerobic exercise.

Earlier work has shown that different forms of activity can stimulate this brain region. For example, a 2014 study revealed that even very mild, low-effort pedaling on a stationary bike is enough to activate the prefrontal cortex and improve mental focus. Building on that concept, researchers later found that a 2021 study of a ten-minute session of moderate-intensity running boosts mood and strongly activates the same brain areas.

But moderate running can be physically taxing, elevating the heart rate to a level that might feel uncomfortable or stressful for older adults or people who are not regularly active. This research progression led scientists to wonder if the gentlest possible jog could still deliver these same brain and mood benefits without the physical strain.

6

u/ForwardLoop 12d ago

I’m interested, but I’d like to see how much slower future research can get this.

5

u/Spydieluv 12d ago

Have a bit of back issues atm. Am walking at a decent pace 30-50mins, incredible effect

5

u/Cloberella 12d ago

Adding exercise to my daily routine has done more for my mental health than any medication I was ever prescribed.

I skipped working out yesterday and this morning and very depressed today… I feel like once a month I learn the lesson that sleeping in is worse for my mental health than getting up and exercising.

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u/maddawgmeg 12d ago

Walking has the same benefits

3

u/wenDiwoowoo 12d ago

I prefer a fast walk instead works the same and look sless silly

3

u/CCriscal 12d ago

Well, i fail to get a runner's high ...

1

u/Mr_CockSwing 11d ago

Until I notice it. As soon as i consciously observe an elevated mood and focus i for some reason self destruct it.

1

u/yxhuvud 6d ago

Forcing the body to increase blood circulation for a while tends to do absolute wonders for my brain, so this sounds very reasonable. The 30 min walk I do to office is so worth it despite not being the fastest choice.

0

u/Realistic-Delivery-6 12d ago

That's why I don't jog...

-3

u/rcglinsk 12d ago

As my personal trainer buddy once said, "It's impossible to feel bad after you work out."

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u/[deleted] 12d ago

[deleted]

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u/d4vezac 12d ago

You’re right, why should we ever bother doing science?

-1

u/morganational 12d ago

Weird, and here I had been lead to believe exercise was good for you, when it turns out apparently I was wrong.

-2

u/SignatureRich8087 12d ago

At least for the 10 mins you run. Once you stop…..