Easy 10-minute exercise may boost mood and sharpen focus, study finds

A new study suggests that a brief, easy jog may help improve mood and sharpen focus — no all-out sprint or long trail run required.

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Researchers at the University of Tsukuba in Japan studied 24 healthy young adults who completed a slow, 10-minute treadmill run during one session and rested during another.

After the jog, participants performed better on a test measuring attention and self-control. They also reported feeling more alert and pleasant than they did after resting, according to the small study published in August in the journal Imaging Neuroscience.

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Brain monitoring showed increased activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex after the jog. That region plays a role in focus and decision-making.

The jog was purposely kept easy, with participants running between 1.9 and 3.7 mph. Their average heart rates ranged from 105 to 107 beats per minute.

What they're saying:

"A single bout of running, even at very slow speed, elicits a pleasant mood and improved executive function," the researchers found.

The finding "sheds light on the slow running benefits to brain health," they added.

The benefits continued even after the participants’ heart rates returned to baseline, researchers said.

Participants who experienced more up-and-down head movement while jogging tended to report a more positive mood afterward. However, that finding was exploratory and does not establish cause and effect.

"Easy movement triggers the norepinephrine and dopamine pathways that wake up the part of the brain that is in charge of focus and self-control," said Dr. John La Puma, a California-based internist and author of "Indoor Epidemic," who was not involved in the study.

Experts cautioned that the findings do not mean one brief workout is a cure-all.

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"A brief jog should help someone get some energy in their system, which may make them feel better about themselves mentally and help them focus," said Dr. Scott Nass, a California-based family medicine physician at SwiftCareMD.

Nass, who was not involved in the research, said the effect is likely temporary.

For people living with depression or anxiety, a jog may briefly clear the mind but is "no substitute for medical care," he told Fox News Digital.

Why you should care:

The study had several limitations, including its small sample size and the fact that it involved only 24 healthy young adults. Researchers also measured the participants’ responses immediately after a single exercise session.

The results cannot necessarily be applied to older adults, novice runners or people with health conditions. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings, Nass said.

What you can do:

For a practical approach, La Puma suggested taking a 10-minute walk outside before the most mentally demanding part of the day.

He recommended adding 30-second jogging intervals while maintaining a pace easy enough to allow someone to speak in full sentences without becoming breathless.

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People with heart disease, high blood pressure, Type 1 diabetes, recent surgery or joint pain should consult a clinician before starting a new exercise routine, La Puma advised.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

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