u/Dubravka_Rebic

I’m back with another test! Since he also has the equipment, I asked my friend to run a brain scan before and after completing the recent London half-marathon (21km, approx 2 hours).

He took a scan before and immediately after. Here’s what changed:

- his fatigue almost doubled (brain is clearly more depleted)

- mental strain went down slightly (less cognitive pressure)

- his brain activity, linked to stress (high-beta if it’s amplified for too long), was normalized

- engagement dropped (less outward focus)

- his alpha response dropped a lot (slower to switch between mental states)

So after the run, he was less reactive and more inward...It seems that feeling of calm, even if you’re depleted physically, showed up in the brain. Before the run, his stress-related brain activity was high, and after it, it had almost completely settled down. But at the same time, his brain was clearly more fatigued and less flexible.

Disclaimer: This is just one person, not a study, but it’s interesting to see.

Since he has the equipment, I asked my friend to do a brain scan before and after the half-marathon he completed a couple of weeks ago in London (21km, around 2 hours).

He took a scan before and immediately after. Here’s what changed:

- his fatigue almost doubled (brain is clearly more depleted)

- mental strain went down slightly (less cognitive pressure)

- his brain activity, linked to stress (high-beta if it’s amplified for too long), was normalized

- engagement dropped (less outward focus)

- his alpha response dropped a lot (slower to switch between mental states)

So after the run, he was less reactive and more inward...It seems that feeling of calm, even if you’re depleted physically, showed up in the brain. Before the run, his stress-related brain activity was high, and after it, it had almost completely settled down. But at the same time, his brain was clearly more fatigued and less flexible.

Note that this is just one person, not a study, but it’s interesting to see.