過去許多研究已經顯示了體能健康和清晰思考能力之間的關聯，但很少研究探討過度思考對人的體能表現有什麼影響。直到現在才有人研究。
英國肯特大學和法國健康與醫學研究院（以ISERM為人所知）的科學家最近發現腦力疲勞會大幅降低體能耐力。研究中的受試者若腦力有先激盪過，感到疲勞的速度大約會快13%。他們也反應說覺得他們的肌肉更加疲累，儘管以體能方面來說，情形並非如此。這項研究說明了我們心中怎麼感受和身體怎麼感受可能有關聯，而我們的心智可能有時會低估體能。
這項研究刊載於線上期刊《運動的醫藥和科學》，結論道：「影響腦袋的疲累於否，不是體能做到的最大極限而是耐力表現，而此種影響跟感受到努力有密切關聯。」
此研究指出的結果可能會用來改善運動員的表現，意為「訓練我們的大腦來避免或是限制腦袋的疲乏」可能是個改善體能表現的方法，根據法國勃艮第大學健康與醫學研究院研究實驗室的教授Lepers博士所說。
(Health) Excess Studying Negatively Affects Physical Performance
Many studies in the past have shown a link between physical health and the ability to think clearly, but few have looked at how excessive thinking affects ones physical performance. Until now.
Scientists at the University of Kent in England and the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, known as ISERM, have recently discovered that mental fatigue significantly reduces physical endurance. Subjects in the study tired at an approximate 13% faster rate when they performed mental challenges beforehand. They also reported feeling that their muscles were much more exhausted, although physically this was not actually the case. The study illustrated how we feel psychologically and what we feel physically may be connected, and that our minds may be underestimating physical capabilities at times.
The study, published online in Medicine Science in Sports Exercise, concluded that, maximal force production is not altered by mental fatigue but endurance performance is altered, and this alteration is closely linked with a higher feeling of exertion.
The implications of the study may be used to improve athletes performance, suggesting that, training our brain to avoid or limit mental fatigue, could be a way to improve physical performance, according to Dr. Lepers, a professor at INSERM research laboratory at the University of Burgundy in France.
想聽語音請上FunDay
