Why today’s workout could fuel next week’s brilliant idea

In a rare longitudinal study, researchers from Aalto University and the University of Oulu tracked a person’s brain and behavioral activity for five months using brain scans and data from portable and smartphone devices. The results were published in Biology PLOS on October 8.

“We wanted to go beyond isolated events,” explains Ana Triana, head of research. “Our behavior and mental states are constantly shaped by our environment and experiences. Yet we know little about the response of brain functional connectivity to environmental, physiological, and behavioral changes over different time scales, from days to several month.”

The study found that our brains don’t respond to everyday life in an immediate, isolated way. Instead, brain activity changes in response to sleep patterns, physical activity, mood, and respiratory rate over several days. This suggests that even a workout or a rough night from last week could still affect your brain – and therefore your attention, cognition and memory – until next week.

Research also found a strong link between heart rate variability (a measure of the heart’s adaptability) and brain connectivity, particularly at rest. This suggests that impacts on our body’s relaxation response, like stress management techniques, could shape the wiring of our brains even when we’re not actively focusing on a task.

Physical activity has also been found to positively influence the way brain regions interact, which can impact memory and cognitive flexibility. Even subtle changes in mood and heart rate left lasting imprints of up to 15 days.

The study goes beyond a snapshot

The research is unusual in that few brain studies involve detailed monitoring over several days and weeks. “Using wearable technology was crucial,” says Triana. “Brain scans are useful tools, but a snapshot of a person standing still for half an hour can’t tell much. Our brains don’t work in isolation.”

Triana herself was the subject of the research, monitored in her daily life. His unique role as lead author and participant in the study added complexity, but also provided direct insights into how best to maintain research integrity over several months of custom data collection.

“At first, it was exciting and a little stressful. Then, the routine sets in and you forget,” says Triana. Data from the devices and twice-weekly brain scans were supplemented with qualitative data from mood surveys.

The researchers identified two distinct response patterns: a short-term wave lasting less than seven days and a long-term wave lasting up to fifteen days. The former reflects rapid adaptations, such as how concentration is affected by poor sleep, but recovers quickly. The long wave suggests more gradual and lasting effects, particularly in areas related to attention and memory.

Single-subject studies offer opportunities to improve mental health care

The researchers hope their innovative approach will inspire future studies combining brain data with daily life to help personalize mental health treatment.

“We need to bring data from everyday life to the lab to get a complete picture of how our habits shape the brain, but investigations can be tiring and inaccurate,” says study co-author, neuroscientist and physician , Dr. Nick Hayward.

“Combining simultaneous physiology with repeated brain scans in a single person is crucial. Our approach gives context to neuroscience and provides very fine detail to our understanding of the brain.”

The study also provides proof of concept for patient research. Tracking brain changes in real time could help detect neurological disorders early, particularly mental health problems where subtle signs might go unnoticed.

“Linking brain activity to physiological and environmental data could revolutionize personalized healthcare, opening the door to earlier interventions and better outcomes,” says Triana.