We’ve all heard how exercise is good for our health, our bodies and our brains, but there’s one type of exercise that can boost your memory by up to 30 per cent, says a new study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

High-intensity interval training results in the greatest memory performance in inactive older adults compared to moderate continuous training or stretching, say researcher who analysed healthy older adults between the ages of 60 and 88 over a 12-week period and participated in three sessions per week.

These older individuals were divided into three groups: one which participated in high-intensity exercise, another that performed moderate-intensity continuous training and the third which participated in stretching only.

When testing the amount of each group's "newborn" neurons which tend to be generated by exercise, researchers found that those who participated in the high-intensity workouts improved their memory performance by 30 per cent, while the group who exercised moderately saw no improvement.

"There is urgent need for interventions that reduce dementia risk in healthy older adults. Only recently have we begun to appreciate the role that lifestyle plays, and the greatest modifying risk factor of all is physical activity," said lead author of the study Jennifer Heisz.

"It's never too late to get the brain health benefits of being physically active, but if you are starting late and want to see results fast, our research suggests you may need to increase the intensity of your exercise," says Heisz.

Dr Heisz doesn’t suggest that adding intensity top your exercise regimen can be as “simple as venturing up hills on your daily walk or increasing your pace between street lamps”.

A workout that lasts as little as five minutes and can boost memory function, she says, which sounds like my type of exercise.