A study conducted by researchers from Aalto University in Finland revealed that a person’s behavior today may affect his brain activity within two weeks. These findings have significant implications for mental health as well as attention, cognition and memory.
The study, whose results were published in the journal PLOS Biology, tracked the brain activity of one of the researchers participating in the study over a period of 5 months using a combination of brain scans, wearable devices, and a smartphone.
“The impact of your daily choices is not only reflected in the brain’s connectivity today,” Anna Triana, a researcher at Aalto University in Finland and co-author of the study whose brain activity was tracked, told Newsweek. “Consistently making healthy choices in daily life can have a long-lasting positive impact.” “These habits directly affect brain connectivity in areas associated with attention, memory, and cognitive function.”
Our behaviors and our brains are closely linked. However, the majority of studies only take a snapshot of our experience. In this study, Triana’s brain was scanned twice a week, followed by collecting qualitative data from mood surveys. The research team identified two distinct brain patterns in response to specific behaviors: a short-term wave lasting less than a week and a long-term wave lasting up to 15 days.
Fast responses
The short-term wave reflected rapid responses to a behavior, such as struggling to concentrate after a bad night’s sleep. Meanwhile, a long-term wave indicates gradual and lasting effects of a particular behavior. These effects were particularly evident in areas of the brain associated with attention and memory. In other words, exercising or not sleeping on a restless night two weeks ago may affect you – positively or negatively – today.
While this study shows the brain activity of only one individual, the researchers hope that it will illustrate the importance of studying brain activity in the context of ongoing real life and ongoing human behavior, rather than just a single snapshot filmed in the laboratory.
Daily routine and mental and physical health
The study results may provide vital insights into the study of mental health problems in patients. “Linking brain activity to physiological and environmental data could revolutionize personalized health care, opening doors to earlier interventions and better outcomes,” says Triana.
Pandora Dewan, who interviewed Tierna for Newsweek, asked what the study’s findings mean to her. She replied: “Since this is an individual study, the results may not be very generalizable. However, I would say: Take care of your daily routine! Continued healthy habits , especially those related to sleep, physical activity, and stress management, are extremely important, and their effects on the brain extend beyond just a good night’s sleep or exercise. So when you have something important in a week, it is not just about that week. “It’s also about the other weeks that precede it.”