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A University of Tsukuba study reported that 10 minutes of very slow jogging was followed by improved mood and Stroop-test performance among 24 healthy young adults. The findings suggest a possible short-term mental effect, but do not establish long-term benefits or show that slow jogging is suitable for everyone.
A University of Tsukuba study found that 24 healthy young adults reported a more pleasant mood and performed better on a test of attention after 10 minutes of very slow jogging. The findings, reported in Imaging Neuroscience, point to a possible short-term mental effect from light exercise, but do not show whether it lasts or applies to older adults and other groups.
Participants completed two 10-minute sessions: one running at a very slow pace and one sitting on a stationary treadmill. Researchers assessed mood and cognitive performance before and after each session, and measured activity in the prefrontal cortex using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The report says sitting did not produce comparable changes.
During the jogging session, participants ran at approximately 3 to 6 kilometers per hour (about 1.9 to 3.7 miles per hour). The report describes this as light effort, around 35% of participants’ peak oxygen uptake. Afterward, participants scored better on a Stroop test, which assesses aspects of executive function, including attention and handling conflicting information.
The researchers also recorded increased activity in prefrontal-cortex areas associated with executive function and mood regulation. These are immediate before-and-after findings from a small study, not evidence that a short jog improves mental health over time or treats a condition.
A Short Session, A Limited Finding
The study may interest people who find conventional running intimidating or difficult to fit into a day. Its reported pace was close to walking speed, and the session lasted 10 minutes. That makes the experiment relevant to questions about whether physical activity has to be strenuous to be followed by a measurable short-term change.
But the results should be read within their limits. The study involved only 24 healthy young adults, and the reported outcomes were measured shortly after exercise. It does not establish that slow jogging improves mood or thinking for everyone, produces lasting benefits, or is better than walking. The source report explicitly says the findings do not suggest people should stop walking or replace it with jogging.
For readers, the practical takeaway is a possibility, not a prescription: gentle movement may be followed by a temporary change in mood or performance on a particular test. Personal health, fitness, and safety differ, and the study does not determine which activity is appropriate for an individual.
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What Researchers Tested
The report describes slow jogging as a relaxed running pace sometimes called “niko niko pace,” or “smiling pace.” The idea, associated with Japanese exercise physiologist Hiroaki Tanaka, is to move slowly enough to talk comfortably. In the study, the jogging motion still included brief moments when both feet were off the ground, distinguishing it from walking even when the pace was similar.
Researchers were interested in whether running needed to be strenuous to coincide with changes in mood and brain activity. Running also produces more rhythmic vertical movement of the body and head than walking. Sensors recorded participants’ head acceleration; those with greater vertical movement tended to show larger mood improvements. The report presents this as an association, not proof of cause.
Research supervisor Hideaki Soya suggested in the source report that a brief, slow run might be useful before a presentation or another demanding task. That is a proposed application, not a tested conclusion about performance in real-world work or study settings.
“The idea is to move at a conversational pace, slowly enough that you can comfortably talk – and smile, even.”
— Seniors Guide report
Long-Term Effects Remain Unknown
The source report does not specify the study’s publication date, and it describes a small sample of healthy young adults. It does not provide evidence about whether the changes last beyond the immediate post-exercise period, recur with regular jogging, or occur in older people or those with health conditions.
The mechanism behind the mood result is also unresolved. Greater head movement was associated with larger mood improvements, but the researchers do not know why. The report mentions an earlier animal-research theory involving neurons linked to serotonin, while stressing that this explanation remains theoretical in humans. The study does not establish that jogging’s bouncing motion causes improved mood.
The report also does not compare slow jogging directly with walking as an intervention, establish a best duration or schedule, or assess safety for people with different levels of fitness. Its results should not be taken as medical advice or a guarantee of benefit.
Further Research Is Needed
According to the source report, researchers plan to investigate the relationship between vertical head movement and mood further. Future studies would need to test whether the observed changes persist, whether they appear in larger and more varied groups, and whether running mechanics explain any effect.
For now, the report presents slow jogging as one possible form of light movement, not as a proven mental-health intervention. People considering a change in exercise should take their individual health and abilities into account and consult a qualified professional when they need advice about what activity is appropriate.
Key Questions
What did the slow-jogging study find?
After 10 minutes of very slow jogging, 24 healthy young adults reported a more pleasant mood and performed better on a Stroop test. Researchers also detected increased activity in some prefrontal-cortex areas. These were immediate findings.
How slow was the jogging?
Participants ran at about 3 to 6 kilometers per hour, or approximately 1.9 to 3.7 miles per hour. The report describes the effort as light and says the pace could resemble walking speed.
Does the research show slow jogging is better than walking?
No. The reported study compared slow jogging with sitting on a stationary treadmill, not with walking. The source report says the findings do not mean people should stop walking or replace it with jogging.
Are the mental effects proven to last?
No. The study measured mood and cognitive performance before and after a single 10-minute session. The report does not establish how long the changes last or whether repeated sessions produce lasting effects.
Why might jogging affect mood differently?
Participants with greater vertical head movement tended to show larger mood improvements, but that does not prove the movement caused the change. The mechanism remains uncertain, and the proposed explanation involving serotonin-related neurons is theoretical in humans.
Source: rss
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