Exercise is brain food

Why exercise is important to the brain

For those of you who see me have a quick change towards the end of the evening into my gym gear, will know that I am on an exercise regime and have been now for nearly a year.  I have always tried and look after myself – I watch what I eat and I try to keep my weight in check. I try to sleep around 7 hours each night and I practice mindfulness on my early morning walks. However, after my husband was seriously ill, I decided to take exercise more seriously. I joined a gym and had a personal trainer. I don’t think he knew what he had taken on!

However, the benefits have been amazing. I have noticed that my mental well-being has increased dramatically. I sleep better and my clothes fit better, even though I am eating more than I have ever eaten, thanks to my personal trainer watching my diet through the myfitnesspal app!

My success has led me to read some articles on how exercise can boost brain function (I know it may be too late for me!) What I found out was that there are numerous studies that inform us that moderate intensity physical activity can lead to healthier brain activity, compared to those who exercise less. These studies have led to some schools in Scotland introducing daily physical running each day as part of the curriculum. In fact, in our school in Rhyl, our children, much to some of their disgust, have to either walk on run as part of their daily timetable.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1hour) or more of physical activity each day. That’s an awful lot I hear you say. The 60 minutes should include

1. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise, such as a quick walk, but it should also include vigorous-intensity activity, such as running, 3 times a week
2. Muscle strengthening activities such as gymnastics or push-ups at least 3 days a week
3. Bone strengthening activity, such as skipping or running at least 3 days a week

So why should we bother? Well here are a few reasons:-

According to Mylea Charvat, Ph.D. CEO and Founder at Savonix, aerobic exercise increases heart rate and increases blood flow to the brain. In turn this produces neutrons in certain parts of the brain that control memory and thinking and learning. It also increases neurotransmitters, which boosts information processing. (I hope your impressed with my biology facts Jen!)

Numerous studies suggest that maintaining a healthy lifestyle provides academic advantages, with fit children outperforming obese pupils. In a study by Dr David Jacobs, pupils who were most active in 1985 tended to still be fit decades later. They also performed better in cognitive tests. This data suggests that activity in early and mid life ‘may produce protective cognitive effects across the lifespan’

This seemed to be enough evidence to keep me on the treadmill! However, the evidence proves that you need a reference of different activities, a multi-routine focussing on balance, flexibility, and aerobic fitness.

I think it’s important for our students to see that Exercise is brain food.

So come on, let’s get out there and go walking, running, swimming or biking. Studying is important of course, but we must also make time to enjoy the fresh air and get in touch with nature. There are so many benefits, both physical and mental.