AsianScientist (Feb. 11, 2026) – According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), physical activity in children and adolescents promotes bone health, supports healthy growth and development of muscles, and enhances both motor and cognitive development.
Sedentary behaviour in children can negatively impact the development of executive function (EF)—the skills necessary for managing everyday tasks such as planning, problem-solving, and adapting to new situations. The three primary components of EF are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.
Strong EF during childhood lays the foundation for self-regulation, social functioning, academic achievement, and emotional well-being throughout childhood and adolescence.
In a recent study, a research team from the Graduate School of Sport Sciences at Waseda University in Japan investigated whether brief periods of light-intensity exercise could enhance executive function and psychological well-being in children. This study is the first in the world to show that light exercise, lasting less than five minutes, can enhance both executive function and mood for individuals of all ages. The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Previous studies have demonstrated that both acute and chronic exercise can enhance executive function (EF). While chronic exercise is crucial for long-term cognitive development, even brief bouts of activity can provide immediate, albeit short-lived, cognitive and emotional benefits that may improve children’s learning efficiency during the school day.
Furthermore, recent research has emphasised the importance of short-duration exercise interventions, such as light-intensity exercise, that can be performed within the classroom. Although many studies have shown that light-intensity exercise improves inhibitory control – a key component of executive function – and mood in adults, very few have investigated whether similar benefits occur in children.
“Studies have shown that more than 80% of children worldwide do not meet WHO’s recommended level of physical activity, and their sedentary time has increased by about 1 hour per day over the last decade,” said Takashi Naito, doctoral student, Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University and lead author of the study.
In this study, thirty-one healthy schoolchildren, aged 10 to 14 years, with no history of mental or neurological disorders, no physician-imposed exercise restrictions, and no colour vision deficiency, participated.
The participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or an exercise group. During the experiment, all participants completed a psychological mood questionnaire followed by a cognitive task, both before and after a break session.
The mood questionnaire was based on the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale, which measures pleasure and arousal levels. For the cognitive task, they performed the Colour-Word Stroop Task (CWST), which measures inhibitory control, i.e., the ability to manage attention, thoughts, and emotions to override internal impulses or external distractions in order to perform a more appropriate or required action.
During the break, the control group rested for 15 minutes, while the experimental group rested for 10 minutes, then engaged in 3.5 minutes of light exercise followed by an additional 1.5-minute rest. The exercise program consisted of six simple movements, including dynamic stretching, static stretching with trunk rotation, single-leg balance, and hand dexterity exercises, all designed to activate the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
The researchers also measured heart rates during the exercise for the experimental group and examined PFC activation while participants completed the CWST for both groups. The findings revealed that children who engaged in the light-intensity exercise exhibited significantly reduced reaction times on the subsequent cognitive task compared to those in the control group.
“Our findings show that incorporating short bouts of light-intensity exercise in school, such as before the beginning of classes or during breaks, can improve inhibitory control and mood in children, with potential to improve learning efficiency,” said Naito.
The Sedentary Behaviour Research Network recommends that children aged 5-11 years should interrupt prolonged sitting at least every 30 minutes, while adolescents aged 12-18 years should do so at least every hour. These breaks can include a variety of activities at different intensities and durations, such as standing, stretching, active lessons, and short activity breaks.
Research involving teachers and principals has identified time constraints as the most significant barrier to implementing movement-based interventions in schools, highlighting the need for academic integration and feasible solutions that can be implemented within short timeframes.
The current study highlights the improvement of executive functions (EFs), which are closely linked to academic performance, through activities that can be easily implemented and completed in a short period.
These exercises involve simple movements, such as standing stretches, balance tasks, and hand exercises, making them particularly suitable for school environments. Short-duration, light-intensity interventions in schools may enhance children’s readiness to learn in a single session.
However, the researchers emphasise that fostering long-term cognitive development requires consistent and repeated practice.
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Source: Waseda University, Japan; Image: Jcomp/Freepik
The study can be found at: Acute 3.5-minute light-intensity exercise enhances executive function and psychological mood in children
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
