Forget puzzles - this simple lifestyle habit can help reduce 'tip of the tongue' memory moments, new study reveals

It happens to us all - we’re in the middle of a conversation with friends and we forget a word, or the name of a place or person. There are many reasons why this happens, ranging from tiredness to menopausal brain fog to a decline in brain function due to ageing. It can be frustrating and upsetting when we feel like our brain is letting us down.

Now, researchers think they might have found a way to reduce these so-called ‘tip of the tongue’ moments and improve brain health: aerobic exercise, also known as cardiovascular exercise. This includes activities like walking, cycling, swimming, and running.

Experts from the University of Birmingham asked 73 adults aged 60 to 81 to undergo a cardiorespiratory fitness test, then reviewed results from an MRI scan. Participant fitness was measured using VO2 max, which is the maximum rate at which our heart, lungs, and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise.

The average VO2 peak for healthy older adults aged 60+ is around 28ml/kg/min. The people involved in this study had an average peak of 27.55 ml/kg/min, representing the age group well.

Inside the scanner, the participants were shown definitions and had to think of the word being described. Many of them knew the word - it was on the ‘tip of their tongue’, but they were delayed in saying it.

What did the study show?

The researchers found that even healthy participants experienced a delay in word-finding around 1 in every 6 attempts. However, those who were fitter (had higher VO2 max readings) had fewer tip-of-the-tongue moments, suggesting that regular cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, running, or swimming workouts can help improve recollection and memory.

Dr Foyzul Rahman, the lead author of the study, which was published in the Neurobiology of Aging Journal, said: "What surprised us most was how fitter holder adults showed different patterns in brain activity during word-finding attempts - even though all participants were broadly healthy and of a similar age.

"In particular, those with higher cardiorespiratory fitness appeared to make use of a language-related brain network more effectively when they experienced a tip-of-the-tongue moment."

“This is important because it suggests that fitness is linked to the brain's ability to compensate for age-related changes in language. It’s not just that fitter people had better overall health - their brains were behaving differently in the moment of a cognitive challenge, showing a measurable difference in how language is processed.”

What does the study mean for us?

We've known for a while now that exercise can help take care of our brain, and this is a new study adding to the list of evidence.

Most studies, like the one above, focus on the benefits of exercise for reducing diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. For example, cycling was named the top aerobic exercise for brain health after researchers found that cycling workouts may lower the risk of dementia by 88%. This new study highlights the benefits of simple aerobic exercises for mitigating cognitive decline, a part of ageing that everyone is likely to experience.

It suggests that simply doing more cardiovascular exercise can improve memory and recollection by improving VO2 max, which is the efficiency at which oxygen can be passed around the body by the lungs, heart, and muscles.

The most accurate way to work out your VO2 max is in a laboratory, which isn't an accessible environment for most people. Luckily, online calculators can help you find a rough estimate using basic data, such as resting heart rate.

How to improve VO2 max

• Do some interval walking: Interval walking workouts are one way to boost VO2 max, says Rachael Sacerdoti, a certified personal trainer and founder of It's So Simple. "During the fast intervals, your heart rate elevates to improve cardiovascular capacity, while the recovery periods teach your body to return to baseline efficiently," she says.
• Get back into HIIT: One of the quickest ways to boost VO2 max is through high-intensity interval training (HIIT). According to research by China's University of Sport, it's the workout that offers us more time at "near maximal oxygen consumption", which forces our cardiovascular system to work harder.
• Go for distance: If interval training isn't for you, try walking or running over a longer distance instead. Research published in Sports Medicine found that endurance training (a 10km run, for example) can raise VO2 just as well as intervals.
• Try yoga: "Holding and flowing through poses gently challenges your muscles and cardiovascular system without excessive strain. This unique combination helps support the body's ability to transport oxygen, the foundation of a higher VO2 max," says Melissa Leach, yoga specialist and strength and conditioning coach at Yoga‑Go.