Do you ever find your academic success being negatively impacted due to constant feelings of overwhelmingness, lack of motivation, and general tiredness throughout the day? Research shows that a lot of these emotions actually have a relation to the amount of exercise engaged in per day, and most students do not engage in enough. A study led by Tufts University School of Medicine found that only about 8 percent of students get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Regular exercise is vital for students and their academic performance due to a variety of physical and mental factors.
Regular Physical Activity Can Improve Mental health
High school students can often feel stressed and overworked, whether it’s due to homework, tests, grades, extracurricular activities, or due to pressure from our families and peers. Being constantly overwhelmed can be emotionally and mentally taxing, leading to a lack of motivation and lower attention span, which negatively affects academic performance in school.
Chemical Signals
The stressors in our life can negatively impact our mood and can lower our general enthusiasm. When we exercise, our body prompts the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These natural chemical signals in our body promote feelings of wellbeing, block the perception of pain, and can make people have a more positive outlook on life.
Stress Coping Mechanism
Some exercises, like stretching, can also reduce muscle tension and can make you physically feel more relaxed. This can be a great method to deal with anxiety or stress inducing situations, such as a large test you might have the next day. If you find yourself struggling to cope with a stressful situation, exercising is a healthy alternative to divert your mind from your stressors and clear it.
Motivation
Often when students are stressed, negative thoughts can consume their daily life and make them feel physically drained or apathetic. Staying physically active regularly can help you feel more awake, alert, and attentive, due to the release of dopamine, norephedrine, and serotonin in response to exercise. These neurotransmitters function by boosting focus and attention, which are vital for students to learn effectively and perform to their best ability. Chronic stress and overwhelmingness can lead to a lack of motivation, which can be detrimental to a student’s learning and academic achievement.
Exercise Can Boost Brain Function
Health
Our brain health is crucial to our learning. Physical activity promotes blood flow to the brain, which in turn provides the brain more nutrients and oxygen. Receiving adequate nutrients and oxygen is fundamental for our brains to function properly.
Cognition/Retention
Furthermore, exercise enhances cognition, which is “the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the five senses.” Retention refers to the ability of remembering information over a period of time. Basic cognitive functions related to attention and memory facilitate learning, and these functions are enhanced by physical activity.
Harvard Medical School Professor Dr. John Ratey, writes in a book that “Exercise improves learning on three levels: first, it optimizes your mind-set to improve alertness, attention, and motivation; second, it prepares and encourages nerve cells to bind to one another, which is the cellular basis for logging in new information; and third, it spurs the development of new nerve cells from stem cells in the hippocampus”.
Having an active lifestyle can improve academic performance by helping us retain information much more effectively. This is because when we exercise, our bodies make more brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNFs). This protein creates new connections between nerve cells, which helps us remember information and register new memories.
Types of Exercises
People frequently associate exercise with being exhausted and/or out of breath. They might picture long, energy consuming activities such as running a mile or going on a long hike. While these activities are great options, a common misconception is that exercise must be rigorous and physically draining. This results in people not wanting to be active, and they start leading a sedentary lifestyle. Most experts recommend a minimum of just 30 minutes daily, and this could include a variety of activities such as walking, jogging, stretching, or dancing.
Walking/Jogging
Going out on a walk or jog is an excellent low-intensity activity. It enables you to get some cardio, without becoming overly fatigued; and you can get some fresh air, which is known to positively impact mood and increase energy levels.
Stretching
Stretching is another great exercise that poses many mental and physical health benefits. It has been proven to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which results in feelings of calmness and relaxation. Regular stretching can also enhance flexibility and posture, reduce tension in your muscles and joints, and promote blood circulation, which is vital for many bodily functions.
Dancing
Another option for a pleasant workout is dancing. This is a fun and carefree activity where you get the opportunity to jam to your favorite songs, and make up whatever silly dance moves you want! It has positive mental effects, due to the release of dopamine and serotonin in response to the external stimuli; and it can be physically beneficial because it gets oxygen and blood flowing throughout your body.
All of these activities are beneficial for your health and can be relaxing. If you lead a largely inactive lifestyle, try incorporating some of these exercises in your routine. You can even bring a friend to keep you company!
tl;dr
Regular physical activity boosts academic performance due to many physical and mental health benefits. It helps mental wellbeing by producing positive neurotransmitters and providing healthy alternative methods to deal with stressful or anxiety inducing situations. In addition to improving mental health, exercising stimulates our nervous system and strengthens our cognitive functions. Physical activity can look different for everyone, and does not have to be strenuous. Walking, stretching, jogging, and dancing are all relaxing and enjoyable exercises that provide many health benefits. If you currently lead a more sedentary lifestyle, and find yourself feeling chronically tired and your academic performance declining, try to incorporate some of these simple exercises in your daily routine!