Study.. Exercise Is an Effective Alternative to Napping for Boosting Memory

A recent study conducted by researchers at McGill University in Canada found that a short 20-minute session of physical activity could be more effective than a nap in reducing the effects of sleep deprivation.

According to The Independent, the experiment involved 54 young adults who remained awake for 30 consecutive hours under laboratory supervision. Researchers divided them into three groups: the first cycled for 20 minutes, the second took a 90-minute nap, while the third neither exercised nor slept and served as the control group. All participants then underwent a memory test that required them to recall, three days later, images they had previously been shown.

The results showed that 20 minutes of physical exercise, such as cycling or running, was as effective as a 90-minute nap in reducing memory impairment caused by sleep deprivation.

Madhura Lotlikar, a researcher involved in the study and a PhD candidate in neuroscience at the university, explained that exercise is an accessible and inexpensive way to help people maintain mental focus, particularly when taking a nap during working hours is not possible.

The researchers also highlighted that the two approaches affect the brain differently. While napping helps restore energy and facilitates the processing of new information, exercise helps the brain use its remaining resources more efficiently. They stressed, however, that physical exercise is not a substitute for adequate sleep, but can provide a useful option when time is limited or during breaks at work.