Swedish scientists from Umeå University have discovered that climbing stairs quickly can stimulate a person’s mental abilities. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of Cognitive Enhancement (JCE).
During the experiments, the team included 52 male and female students with an average age of 20 years. Participants completed a physical activity readiness questionnaire and measured their height and weight. Then the volunteers were divided into groups.
One team competed in six stages of the stair climb. The task involved climbing stairs for 60 seconds, then resting for one minute and repeating the process until all six stairs were completed.
Participants then reported their subjective stress levels, took cognitive tests, and rated their mood using visual analog mood scales.
The other group remained seated in the testing room and then took the same cognitive tests and mood scales. The sequence was repeated and groups changed activities.
Participants performed better on cognitive switching tasks after climbing stairs. Cognitive switching tasks involve shifting attention or mental focus between different tasks, rules, or cognitive demands and are used to measure cognitive flexibility and executive function. On average, participants who climbed the stairs reported feeling more energetic and happier than the control group.
Additionally, participants who climbed stairs faster, as measured by heart rate data, tended to respond faster on cognitive tests. These effects were observed in both men and women.
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Source: Gazeta
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