In the ongoing Asics’ Uplifting Minds study, research conducted over a period of eight months and with thousands of participants so far, the brand has found a significant impact of physical inactivity on the participants’ minds. Part of the study was the ”Mind Race”, an experiment for which regular exercisers paused their normal fitness routine for just one week. The impact that the scientists found measurable was to be similar to a week of broken sleep: their confidence dropped by 20 percent; positivity fell by 16 percent, energy levels slumped by 23 percent and their ability to cope with stress reduced by 22 percent. A less focused mind was one of the results of the study: participants reported a 23 percent increase in racing thoughts. After just one week of no exercise, participants’ overall state of mind score dropped by an average of 18 percent - decreasing from a high 68 out of 100 when physically active to a mediocre 55 out of 100 when they stopped exercising. On the other hand, when the candidates returned to regular exercise, the negative effects of inactivity could be quickly reversed. Based on data from across sports and across regions, just 15.09 minutes of exercise can significantly impact the mental state. 

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