Exercise is beneficial to health, and this includes running, even at a slow pace. A recent study has found that running at a pace as slow as brisk walking can boost mood and improve brain health, and the effects can be seen in just 10 minutes.
Previous studies have shown that taking 10,000 steps a day can bring health benefits, but this is not the only way to stay fit. Research from Tsukuba University in Japan indicates that engaging in 10 minutes of very slow jogging can improve emotional well-being and executive function of the brain.
In this study, researchers at Tsukuba University invited 24 healthy adults to participate. They were asked to jog on a treadmill at a slow speed of approximately 3 to 6 kilometers per hour for 10 minutes. This speed is equivalent to a brisk walk.
During the jogging session, the average heart rate of male and female participants ranged from 104 to 107 beats per minute. Though their strides were small, they were moving in the right direction.
Compared to sitting idle for 10 minutes, these participants reported significant improvements in their mood, including heightened alertness and increased sense of pleasure. Furthermore, in cognitive tests conducted after the jogging session, the participants showed improved reaction times.
During these cognitive tests, the participants wore head-mounted devices that measured changes in the oxygenated hemoglobin levels on the surface of their brains. The devices recorded stronger oxygen-rich blood signals within two regions of the participants’ left frontal cortex.
This indicates that the cognitive and neural benefits of running may not be limited to higher intensities; in other words, even very slow jogging can have benefits. There are several possible reasons for this.
For instance, running may stimulate specific neural networks projecting to the frontal cortex. This could also be related to the movement of the head itself. Previous experiments involving rodents have shown that rhythmic up and down movements of the head can mechanically stimulate the brain.
In a report published in the journal “Imaging Neuroscience,” the researchers stated that they found a positive correlation between head acceleration and mood improvement. This may be one of the potential mechanisms through which very slow jogging can promote mental well-being.
They believe that running should be seen as a biologically grounded form of exercise that has a special connection to brain function. Although these findings are preliminary and the study did not compare walking to jogging or explore long-term associations, in the short term, extremely slow jogging can indeed have positive effects on brain function and mood.
Christopher Bergland, a former ultra-endurance athlete and science writer, wrote on Psychology Today that you don’t need to be a top ultra-endurance athlete or push your heart rate to the extreme. Just by jogging slowly, you can gain cognitive benefits.
Regarding how these research findings can be applied in daily life, Bergland offers three suggestions:
– Warm up for peak performance — Try jogging for 10 minutes before engaging in high-intensity mental activities, presentations, exams, or important calls. You can jog around your neighborhood or back and forth in a long hallway.
– Maintain a conversational pace — Adjust the intensity of your jogging to a level where you can easily converse. The goal is not to strain your cardiovascular system but to engage in rhythmic exercise.
– Focus on the bouncing sensation — Let your body naturally bounce up and down. You don’t need to take heavy, pounding steps on the ground. Light, elastic, and shorter-stride slow jogging is enough to generate head acceleration that can stimulate brain activity.
Bergland concludes that if you find walking 10,000 steps or engaging in high-intensity interval training too burdensome, try slowing down your pace. Even just jogging for 10 minutes at a brisk walking pace can instantly improve your mood and enhance the function of the frontal cortex.