I Have a Big Exam Coming Up - Do I Have Time to Work Out?

So you have a big exam or presentation coming up tomorrow and you're left staring at your yoga mat wondering if you have time to use it. When you're busy, it seems like the only time you have available should be devoted to the task you have to complete. Yeah, exercise is good for maintaining weight but you have to skip it when you have a busy schedule, right? Maybe not. British researcher Dr. David Marchant from the British Psychological Society's Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology discovered that exercise may actually improve your short-term memory. His lab found that individuals were more likely to remember a list of words if they had exercised for 30 minutes on a bike before or after learning those words. People who rested and didn't workout at all had lower overall word recall. However, what's even more interesting is that people who learned the list of words then worked out had the best short-term recall. Meaning that the next time you have a big test, the best way to study might be to learn the material then workout, then try to recall the information before the big exam. Make those LuLu Lemon pants work for you, girl. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” - Agatha Christie

British Psychological Society (BPS). (2016, December 13). Want to improve your memory? Go to the gym. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 28, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161213074341.htm