Bottom Line:
Years ago, many believed that the health benefits of exercise were limited to the body. However, research has demonstrated that regular physical activity and movement can benefit both the body and the brain.

Recent studies have highlighted that movement can improve the supply of oxygen to the brain and promote the production of new cells. In fact, it appears movement also aides in creating new connections in the brain!

Why it Matters:
Many schools have reduced physical education classes. Many more students have moved towards e-learning. For these reasons, it’s important to be mindful of our children’s physical activity level and to encourage them to exercise more each day.

This is not just to benefit their physical health, but also their mental health.

In many ways, exercising each day is likely to make your child a better student! Movement triggers the release of chemical substances in the brain that enhance brain function.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits of movement:

• Better Brain Function – Movement may protect your brain against degenerative changes.
• Better Stress Reduction – Exercise and movement have been shown to have an antidepressant effect that can help reduce overall stress.
• Better Memory – Regular exercise can help directly and indirectly improve recall and reasoning skills.

Next Steps:
The research is clear. Daily movement and exercise are healthy for both your child’s body and their brain. Our posture and movement assessments are designed to help you identify any abnormal patterns, helping your child feel better and stay active so they can become the best student possible.

If your child struggles to get enough exercise due to nagging aches and pains or less than ideal posture, we hope you’ll consider scheduling an appointment with us today. Our doors are open, and we’re here to help!

Science Source(s):
(1) Learning upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger ribonucleic acid: A mechanism to facilitate encoding and circuit maintenance?. Behavioral Neuroscience. 1998.
(2) The antidepressant effect of running is associated with increased hippocampal cell proliferation. Intl Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005.
(3) Regular Exercise Changes the Brain to Improve Memory, Thinking Skills. Harvard Health Publishing. 2014.
(4) How Exercise Affects Your Brain. Scientific American. 2018.