Most of us know how strenuous exercise can result in aching limbs the following day.

But now scientists have discovered that the benefits to the brain can also be felt a day later.

University College London (UCL) researchers found that the short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day.

Those who did more moderate to vigorous physical activity than usual on a given day did better in memory tests the day after.

Experts said the improvements could be achieved by something as simple as running up the stairs.

In the short term, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine which help a range of cognitive functions.

These neurochemical changes are understood to last up to a few hours after exercise.

However, other studies have shown brain states linked to exercise were more long-lasting, with evidence suggesting exercise can enhance mood for up to 24 hours.

Participants, aged 50 to 83, wore activity trackers for eight days and took cognitive tests each day.

Scientists analysed how long they spent being sedentary, doing light physical activity, and doing moderate or vigorous physical activity.

They also quantified sleep duration and time spent in lighter (rapid eye movement, or REM) sleep and deeper, slow-wave sleep.

After factoring in average levels of activity and sleep, they found that more moderate or vigorous physical activity compared to a person’s average was linked to better working memory and episodic memory (memory of events) the next day.

These benefits were also felt by people who spent less time spent sitting and had six hours or more of sleep.

More sleep overall was linked to improved episodic and working memory and psychomotor speed, a measure of how quickly a person detects and responds to the environment.

Those who had the most slow-wave - deep, restorative sleep - had better episodic memory, according to the findings published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Conversely, more time spent being sedentary than usual was linked to worse working memory the next day.

Dr Mikaela Bloomberg, of UCL, said: ‘Our findings suggest that the short-term memory benefits of physical activity may last longer than previously thought, possibly to the next day instead of just the few hours after exercise. Getting more sleep, particularly deep sleep, seems to add to this memory improvement.

‘Moderate or vigorous activity means anything that gets your heart rate up – this could be brisk walking, dancing or walking up a few flights of stairs. It doesn’t have to be structured exercise.

‘This was a small study and so it needs to be replicated with a larger sample of participants before we can be certain about the results.’