Can’t sleep? Doctor says a 20-minute workout may save your memory

Sleep deprivation impairs concentration and memory, but a short workout may offer nearly the same protective benefit as a nap, according to a CNN report citing a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen explained that researchers kept 54 healthy adults awake for 30 hours, then split them into three groups: one cycled for 20 minutes, another napped for 90 minutes, and a control group sat without exercising. Participants who exercised correctly recognized 56% of test images three days later, compared with 57% for the nap group and 46% for the control group.

“Sleep deprivation interferes with the brain’s ability to encode new information… The EEG recordings suggest that exercise helped counteract some of these effects,” Wen said.

She noted, however, that exercise cannot substitute for sleep entirely: “A 20-minute workout cannot provide those functions, although regular exercise does help sleep and vice versa.” Wen advised that when a nap isn’t possible, a brisk walk, stair climbing or stationary cycling could help preserve memory function during periods of forced wakefulness.