Athletes exhibit 63% better working memory performance than sedentary people, underscoring the cognitive benefit of regular physical activity.
Working memory, the brain’s system for temporarily storing and managing information, is crucial for recalling strategies and adapting to rapidly changing situations. A recent meta-analysis found that athletes outperform non-athletes by as much as 63% on working memory tasks.
Researchers analyzed 21 studies involving more than 1,400 participants across various sports, including basketball, football, and fencing. They assessed working memory through tasks like recalling sequences or matching stimuli after delays. The various studies compared athletes to non-athletes, including sedentary people, and examined factors like sports type and activity level.
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The analysis revealed that athletes had a slight but consistent advantage in working memory compared to non-athletes, with a 30% improvement overall. When athletes were compared to sedentary people, their working memory performance was 63% better. However, the advantage dropped to just 15% when sedentary participants were excluded, suggesting a notable disadvantage for people with inactive lifestyles.
These findings suggest that sports expertise may enhance working memory, likely due to the cognitive demands of high-level performance. Moreover, sedentary lifestyles hinder working memory, underscoring the importance of regular physical activity for maintaining cognitive health. Physical activity also promotes longevity. Learn more about the longevity and brain-boosting effects of exercise in this episode featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick.