Summary of Mental Fatigue Can Impair Physical Exercise:
A study by the University of Birmingham found that mentally taxing activities increase perceived exertion during physical exercise. The study found increased perceived exertion among mentally fatigued participants in weight-lifting repetitions and a 20-minute cycling time trial. The research recommends that coaches reduce athletes’ exposure to mentally challenging tasks during training and competitions and incorporate “brain endurance training” to improve resilience to mental fatigue. The researchers have started testing the connections between mental fatigue and performance among elite athletes in real-world exercise scenarios.
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Mental Fatigue Can Affect Physical Performance, New Study Finds
A recent study by researchers at the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences reveals that mental fatigue can affect physical performance. The study was conducted on 16 men and women to investigate the impact of cognitive tasks on their physical exertion. The study finds that engaging in mentally taxing activities can make it harder for individuals to perform physical exercise.
Findings
The findings revealed that participants who experienced mental fatigue had an increased sense of exertion during exercise. The study, published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, suggests that considering mental fatigue during training may help athletes perform better.
Recommendations
In light of their findings, the researchers recommend coaches reduce athletes’ exposure to mentally challenging tasks, such as smartphone use, before and during training and competitions. Longer term, they should consider ‘brain endurance training’ to increase resilience to mental fatigue.
Commenting on the findings, lead author Dr. Chris Ring said: “We know that the brain plays a part in physical performance, but the specific effects of mental fatigue have not been well understood. All of that requires mental effort, and our results strongly suggest that athletes and coaches need better understand these activities’ effects on overall performance.”
Experiments
During the tests, participants completed a 90-minute mental task that involved identifying letter sequences on a screen. They then completed a series of weight-lifting repetitions. A control group watched neutral videos before taking part in the physical task.
Participants completed a series of resistance training exercises in a second experiment, followed by a 20-minute cycling time trial. They performed cognitive tasks before and between the activities with a control group again watching a neutral video.
Impact
In each experiment, the researchers recorded an increase in perceived exertion, how hard it felt to perform the task, among the mentally fatigued participants. In the second experiment, the researchers also noticed a reduced power in the cycling time trial and less distance covered among the mentally tired participants.
Future Research
The research team has already started testing the links between mental fatigue and performance among elite athletes in ‘real world’ exercise scenarios.
Conclusion
Overall, the findings highlight the need for athletes and coaches to reduce their exposure to mentally taxing tasks before and during training and competitions. By understanding and taking action to address mental fatigue, athletes may see an improvement in their overall performance. Furthermore, incorporating brain endurance training can help increase resilience to mental fatigue.
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