Back to school and back to learning can be made easier according to psychologist Dr. Scott Leith by just simply exercising.
“About an hour a day I would say, and for a kid, that’s running, skipping, jumping and playing and letting your kid be a kid.”
Leith says when people exercise it helps positively stimulate neurons in the brain.
“Exercise promotes something called neurogenisis, which sounds very fancy but that’s the growth of new neurones specifically in the area dedicated to learning,” Leith says.
This in turn promotes cognitive behaviours in the brain called executive function.
“Executive function, for example through self-control, increases time on task. So if you have to sit and read a book, right, it’s a classic example and it makes you better at that. And if you have to keep many things in your head to juggle a project or tasks like that it helps with that as well.”
Leith says you don’t have to be a pro athlete to reap the benefits. Any exercise is better than none and there are specific workouts that are brain boosting.
“Such as the bear crawl which has numerous physical benefits, but also some neurological benefits because it’s a novel way to move your brain is getting feedback from our hands and feet so that will help strengthen the brain,” says personal trainer Chris Symons at GoodLife Fitness.
Symons says different workouts can also help improve sleep and mental health issues.
“When we start to do a lot of cardio we see increase blood flow to the brain that keeps everything healthy and it helps with mood and anxiety so even when test time comes it helps with that a lot.”
For younger kids, Leith says it’s important for parents to get their kids moving.
“Get your kids active even if it’s difficult and even if they have screens and don’t want to move away from them. Even if it’s harder now as a parent to get kids outside that’s an avenue by which you need to show your kids what self-control is and you’ll set them up for a successful life.”
