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A University of Tsukuba study reported that 10 minutes of extremely slow jogging was followed by improved mood, better Stroop test performance and increased prefrontal-cortex activity in 24 healthy young adults. The findings are short-term results from a small study and do not establish lasting benefits or show that jogging should replace walking.
A study from the University of Tsukuba found that 10 minutes of very slow jogging was followed by improved mood and performance on a measure of attention among 24 healthy young adults. The results, published in Imaging Neuroscience, suggest that a brief, light run may produce measurable immediate changes, but the small experiment does not establish long-term effects or benefits for other groups.
Participants completed two 10-minute sessions: one sitting on a stationary treadmill and another running at a very slow pace. Researchers measured mood, cognitive performance and activity in the prefrontal cortex before and after each session, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, or fNIRS, to track brain activity. Sitting did not produce comparable changes, according to the report.
After jogging, participants reported a more pleasant mood and performed better on a Stroop test, which assesses aspects of executive function, including attention and handling conflicting information. Researchers also recorded increased activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex associated with executive function and mood regulation. These were immediate post-exercise observations, not evidence that the changes lasted beyond the experiment.
The running pace was about 3 to 6 kilometers per hour (roughly 1.9 to 3.7 miles per hour), with exercise intensity reported at about 35% of participants’ peak oxygen uptake. The source report describes slow jogging as a running motion at a conversational pace: unlike walking, there is a brief moment when both feet are off the ground.
A Short Run, Measured Effects
The study gives people who find conventional running demanding a reason to ask whether exercise must be fast or strenuous to have an immediate mental effect. In this experiment, the observed changes followed just 10 minutes of light activity, offering a possible short movement break for people with limited time. That is a practical possibility, not a prescription or proof that slow jogging improves mental health over time.
The distinction matters for readers interpreting the findings. The experiment tested healthy young adults, not older people or participants with health conditions, and it measured responses immediately before and after short sessions. It cannot show that slow jogging prevents or treats a mental or cognitive condition. The report also stresses that the results do not imply that people should stop walking; walking remains physical activity, and the study compared a particular running session with sitting rather than establishing that jogging is better than walking.
For those considering a change in exercise, the findings are one small piece of research rather than individualized health guidance. People with medical concerns or questions about what activity is suitable for them should consult a qualified health professional.
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What Researchers Tested
The experiment focused on whether running needs to be strenuous to coincide with changes in mood, thinking and brain activity. Researchers compared a slow-running session with sitting, rather than comparing jogging with brisk walking or other exercise. That design helps explain the specific claim the results support: participants showed different immediate measurements after jogging than after sitting.
The report describes slow jogging as a conversational, relaxed pace, sometimes called “niko niko pace”, or “smiling pace.” Japanese exercise physiologist Hiroaki Tanaka popularized the approach. The defining difference from walking is the movement pattern, not necessarily speed: a walker alongside a slow jogger may move faster while the jogger briefly has both feet off the ground.
Researchers also measured vertical movement of participants’ heads. Those with greater head movement tended to show larger mood improvements. The source report says the reason is not known. A possible link between rhythmic movement and brain systems involved in mood comes from earlier animal research, but that explanation remains theoretical in humans.
““niko niko pace,” or “smiling pace””
— Seniors Guide report
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Limits of the Short Experiment
The report describes only 24 healthy young adults and two short sessions. It does not establish whether the results apply to older adults, people with health conditions, or people with different fitness levels. It also does not show how long the reported mood and cognitive changes lasted, whether repeated sessions produce lasting effects, or what the results would be compared directly with walking.
The link between greater vertical head movement and greater mood improvement is an association, not proof that the movement caused the mood change. Researchers have proposed a possible explanation based partly on animal research, but the report says the mechanism has not been established in humans. The source material also provides no publication date or further study timetable.
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Further Tests Needed
Researchers plan to investigate whether the vertical movement associated with running helps explain the observed mood changes. Further studies would be needed to test the proposed mechanism in people and determine whether the immediate results persist, recur with regular activity, or apply to broader groups.
For now, the reported finding is limited to short-term measurements after a single 10-minute session in healthy young adults. The source does not announce a follow-up study date or a change to exercise guidance. Slow jogging is presented as one possible form of gentle movement, not as a replacement for walking or professional advice about suitable activity.
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Key Questions
What did the University of Tsukuba study find?
In 24 healthy young adults, 10 minutes of very slow jogging was followed by improved self-reported mood, better Stroop test performance and increased activity in parts of the prefrontal cortex. The measurements were taken around the exercise session and do not establish lasting effects.
How slow was the jogging?
Participants ran at about 3 to 6 kilometers per hour, or roughly 1.9 to 3.7 miles per hour. The report describes the pace as light and conversational.
Does the study show that jogging is better than walking?
No. The study compared slow jogging with sitting on a stationary treadmill, not with walking. The report says walking remains worthwhile physical activity and does not recommend replacing it with jogging.
Why might jogging affect mood?
Researchers observed that participants with greater vertical head movement tended to show larger mood improvements. Why that association occurred is not yet known; a proposed explanation involving rhythmic movement remains theoretical in humans.
Do the findings mean slow jogging treats mental health conditions?
No. The experiment measured immediate responses in a small group of healthy young adults and did not test treatment or prevention. People with questions about exercise and their health should speak with a qualified health professional.
Source: rss
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