The same goes for balancing on a beam, researchers say

Jul 30, 2015 11:58 GMT  ·  By

In a recent study in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, a team of researchers at the University of North Florida propose one very simple way to improve working memory: climb a tree, balance on a beam or engage in some other dynamic activity of the kind. 

Thus, the team claims to have found evidence that proprioceptively dynamic activities, i.e. activities that require being aware of the position of different body parts and the strength needed to complete a movement or another, greatly benefit an individual's working memory.

What's more, the specialists argue that the beneficial effects of such activities on working memory are noticeable almost instantaneously. Plainly put, there is no need for people to go around climbing trees for hours on end, as just a few minutes will do the trick.

How dynamic exercises influence memory

Writing in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skill, the University of North Florida researchers explain that, as part of their work, they gathered a group of volunteers between the ages of 18 and 59 and tested their working memory before and after asking them to complete various dynamic exercises.

In a nutshell, the study participants were made to climb trees, walk or crawl on a narrow beam, run barefoot, navigate an obstacle course and carry awkwardly shaped objects.

When their cognitive skills were put to the test after completing these exercises, the volunteers were found to have experienced a 50% improvement in their working memory.

“By taking a break to do activities that are unpredictable and require us to consciously adapt our movements, we can boost our working memory to perform better in the classroom and the boardroom,” study leader Ross Alloway commented on the outcome of these experiments in an interview.

“This research suggests that by doing activities that make us think, we can exercise our brains as well as our bodies,” the specialist went on to explain.

So, why do we need a good working memory?

Medical experts describe working memory as a system that makes it possible for us humans to briefly hold and process newly acquired information but also already stored one. In not so many fancy words, working memory is the active processing of information.

The better our working memory, the easier it is for us to swiftly complete day-to-day tasks. Besides, a good working memory has been shown to correlate with performance either in more cerebral contexts or even in sports.