Don’t have time to exercise? Are just you too busy to exercise or just too tired? Skip the power nap and the second cup of coffee, the Danish and do as I do, go for the 10 minute workout.

In these days of intermittent fasting (meal skipping), stand up desks, and podcasts the next big thing is: “the 10 Minute Workout”!

Now if you think that 10 minutes is just to short, well think again. I for instance drive past my gym several times a day and recently I have come to realise that a short workout is better than no workout at all.  As a self employed person I am free to make my own schedule, and I am also free to overwork myself every chance I get.  I am no stranger to stress and I have come to realize that even a short workout (yes even 10-12 minutes) will makes my body feel better and my brain more alert. 

Now science agrees! A  new study published in Neuropsychologia found that just 10 minutes of exercise increases brain function with a 14% gain in cognitive performance.   Participants received  immediate cognitive benefits from an exercise routine as short as 10 minutes. 

The study’s senior author Matthew Heath  puts forth several theories . “It’s thought that, with exercise, perhaps you get an increase in blood flow to the brain, or you might get a release of some very specific proteins that have been shown to offer neuroprotective benefits and stimulate the growth of new neurons … and an increased level of arousal, that prompts you to be better at doing executive-based tasks,”  

“We wanted to know if an even shorter exercise program (than  20 minutes), could benefit people who might have orthopedic problems or other mobility issues, could still have a cognitive benefit,” states Matthew.

If you need a brain boost, and who doesn’t, the lesson here is  JUST EXERCISE, no matter how little time you have!