The fact that exercise is healthy is no new news.
We have known for a while that exercise is good for...
…our heart.
…our muscles and bones.
…our skin.
…sleep.
…weight loss.
…our energy.
…our mood.
…our relationships and community.
But what about this…
Exercise is good for learning.
New brain research is finding many interesting benefits of a fit lifestyle. But, the fact that exercise promotes learning is of particular interest to those of us who have children or who work with children in schools or other professional capacities.
John Ratey, MD, Author of SPARK, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, writes that our brains are wired for movement and that exercise helps by facilitating the right conditions in our brain for optimal learning.
First, when we exercise the brain releases chemicals, most notably BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which help brain cells grow and be productive and help new cells develop. Ratey points out that for learning to take place cells have to grow and strengthen—it is the only way we learn. Exercise primes the cells for growth—it is like brain cell fertilizer. Ratey calls BDNF “miracle-gro for the brain.”
Second, exercise helps a person be a more optimal learner by improving the effectiveness of the brain’s attention system. Exercise helps the brain stay focused on whatever is being learned. It increases motivation, which works against boredom. Exercise decreases impulsivity (at the brain level), which helps the learner sit still and stay with an activity until it is mastered. And finally, exercise works against the toxic effects of stress on the brain (which can reduce our ability to learn) and puts the learner in a positive state.
This represents a shift in thinking—it is not that exercise helps learning because kids are more likely to sit still when they are tired. This new science says exercise helps learning because exercise makes all these things happen in the brain. Being active is brain exercise. It makes sense, the brain controls all of our movement, from the simple to the complex and vigorous, so our movement, in turn, activates our brain.
Check back for more discussion on this topic and others about ways to promote your own psychological wellbeing. Consider making an appointment for a PWC (Psychological Wellness Check-Up) to focus your attention more closely on your current state of psychological wellbeing. Perhaps check the Talks and Classes link and attend an upcoming event.
We have known for a while that exercise is good for...
…our heart.
…our muscles and bones.
…our skin.
…sleep.
…weight loss.
…our energy.
…our mood.
…our relationships and community.
But what about this…
Exercise is good for learning.
New brain research is finding many interesting benefits of a fit lifestyle. But, the fact that exercise promotes learning is of particular interest to those of us who have children or who work with children in schools or other professional capacities.
John Ratey, MD, Author of SPARK, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, writes that our brains are wired for movement and that exercise helps by facilitating the right conditions in our brain for optimal learning.
First, when we exercise the brain releases chemicals, most notably BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which help brain cells grow and be productive and help new cells develop. Ratey points out that for learning to take place cells have to grow and strengthen—it is the only way we learn. Exercise primes the cells for growth—it is like brain cell fertilizer. Ratey calls BDNF “miracle-gro for the brain.”
Second, exercise helps a person be a more optimal learner by improving the effectiveness of the brain’s attention system. Exercise helps the brain stay focused on whatever is being learned. It increases motivation, which works against boredom. Exercise decreases impulsivity (at the brain level), which helps the learner sit still and stay with an activity until it is mastered. And finally, exercise works against the toxic effects of stress on the brain (which can reduce our ability to learn) and puts the learner in a positive state.
This represents a shift in thinking—it is not that exercise helps learning because kids are more likely to sit still when they are tired. This new science says exercise helps learning because exercise makes all these things happen in the brain. Being active is brain exercise. It makes sense, the brain controls all of our movement, from the simple to the complex and vigorous, so our movement, in turn, activates our brain.
Check back for more discussion on this topic and others about ways to promote your own psychological wellbeing. Consider making an appointment for a PWC (Psychological Wellness Check-Up) to focus your attention more closely on your current state of psychological wellbeing. Perhaps check the Talks and Classes link and attend an upcoming event.