Researchers in London ran a randomized trial with young adults with ADHD and a healthy comparison group (159 people in total). Everyone was aged 18 to 35. People in the ADHD group reported an existing diagnosis from a clinician. Those taking stimulant medicine and those not taking it were analyzed together. Each person did one 10-minute session of either stationary cycling or beginner Hatha yoga.
In the ADHD group, both types of exercise were followed right away by less temporal impulsivity. This was measured with a delay discounting task. Exercise did not change attention, other kinds of impulsivity or movement in this group. In the healthy group, only cycling produced the same change. Healthy participants also reacted more slowly after exercise, which the authors read as reduced attention.
The study had clear limits. The ADHD group was mostly female (83%), so the results may not apply to a more gender-balanced group. Neither participants nor researchers were blinded. There was no group that skipped exercise, so some effects could reflect tiredness from the long tests. The study did not confirm anyone's diagnosis. The hyperactivity measures fell one person short of the number needed for minimum power (127 people).
The authors describe the sessions as short and suitable for adults with differing fitness levels, which they say makes them feasible to include in routines.
Source: Dinu L, Singh S, Baker N, et al.. The Effects of Different Exercise Approaches on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Behavioral Sciences (2023). doi:10.3390/bs13020129