The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review

Brain Plasticity Journal

My past emails have highlighted the wide range of benefits that aerobic exercise has on brain functions including mood, memory, attention, motor/reaction times, and creativity.

But what are the immediate effects if you only exercise once? And why does that matter?

The Study
Investigators summarized a crap-ton of research examining the changes that occur in your brain after a single bout of physical exercise in both humans and animals.

We're talking brain scans and blood tests here. We're also talking about measuring cognitive/behavioral, neurophysiological, and neurochemical levels.

Results
This extensive review resulted in two main observations:

1. The most consistent behavioral effects of a single bout of exercise are improved executive function, enhanced mood, and decreased stress levels.
   
2. Neurophysiological and neurochemical changes that have been reported after acute exercise show that widespread brain areas and brain systems are activated.

Takeaway: It's easy to fall into the trap of "there's no point in exercising if I don't do it every day." This research shows that even a single bout of physical activity can have significant positive effects on your mood and cognitive functions.

The data also shows that exercise elicits changes in neurochemical levels including neurotransmitters, metabolites, growth factors, and neuromodulators. All good things if you want to smile more and cry less.