 12 Aug 2005 @ 16:22
By Nancy Norkiewicz/Get the Beat, The Star
With the warm weather months winding to a close, most people will begin to make their way back to school or work following summer vacation. The beginning of a new school year is generally marked with great enthusiasm and optimism for success. But what if I said that you or your child might perform better in school or at work if you engaged in a bit more physical activity?
What if I told you that exercise can work to increase energy levels, overall feelings of wellness and even help people deal with and heal after a crisis? Read on to learn some of the startling new discoveries that scientists have made about the positive effects of exercise, not just in terms of physical health and athletic skill, but for enhanced mental health and performance too.
By now it's common knowledge that physically active individuals reap many positive physical rewards and benefits. Some of the most obvious training effects include greater efficiency of the heart, lung, circulatory and musculoskeletal systems. It can also help reduce bone-mineral loss associated with inactivity and aging, improve digestion and reduce the risk for developing or incurring any number of injuries. We have also known for years that exercise can be particularly helpful if you need to clear your mind or blow off steam after a stressful day. This is where we begin to cross over into some of the positive mental aspects that are generated by exercise.
Researchers are just now beginning to uncover how even moderate exercise can work to stimulate the brain. In one study conducted at Duke University, half of a group of sedentary individuals ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old were put on a three day a week walk/jog program. After just 10 weeks, the active group reported having greater vigor and mental alertness than the inactive half.
Another study looked at the arteries of nearly 5,000 individuals in the Netherlands (ages 55 to 94) where it was discovered that plaque build up might be more of the demon behind mental decline than simple aging. The tests, both physical and mental, clearly concluded that those with greater arterial disease had poorer mental performance than those with clearer, healthier arteries.
Still, another study showed a direct correlation between cardiovascular exercise and academic success. In this particular study, children were led through 10 minutes of aerobic, rhythmic activity prior to participating in an academic activity like math or reading. Amazingly, students who did the exercise session before a standardized test did 25 percent better on the exam than those who had prepared with 20 minutes of tutoring. That's huge!
As a fitness professional, I am fortunate to witness the positive effects of exercise nearly everyday. Someone may start a class or workout session feeling completely frazzled, depressed, angry or defeated. But by the end, they seem to have worked things out in their mind at the same time they were working out their body. While they may not always come up with a solution to the problem, they usually end up feeling at least a bit more in control of the situation after a good workout.
In the past, physicians and scientists have treated the mind and the body as two separate and different entities. These days, neurologists and psychologists are beginning to see things differently. The brain, although more intricate than the rest of the body, is just another organ. The mind and all other body parts share the same nervous, circulatory, immune and endocrine systems. The well-being of one part of the body is closely intertwined with that of the other parts. If you suffer a brain disorder, it has the potential to send out signals that disturb the rest of the body. What happens in your other organs can most certainly affect brain health, including mood and feelings of self-worth. Have you ever heard someone repeatedly say something like, "my boss is such a pain in the neck" or "this job makes me sick"? Interestingly enough these individuals very often end up with an illness or health condition that manifests itself in the neck area or as some sickness. It appears then that all of our body parts are real, living, breathing organs that have the potential to think and pick up on our overall emotions and feelings. Which is why when we do things that make us release stress and feel good, (such as physical movement or following our life passions), we set off an entire system of endorphins and positive emotions that can help us wade through some of the mental anxiety and stress we experience in life in a more healthy way. Likewise, doing things that aren't representative of whom we really are or that make us feel bad can result in poor health conditions such as ulcers, migraine headaches, or even worse.
While this may sound like new scientific theory, it's interesting to note that Yogi's have known these concepts for over 5,000 years. I have a yoga teacher and he is always encouraging his students to "get on your mat and move" when something is unsettled in your mind. The health on the inside is reflected on the outside and vice versa. Sound mind — sound body.
This is not to insinuate that exercise can take the place of a therapist or other medical doctor. But it can certainly help to strengthen the physical body and although indirectly, the mind. How many times have you witnessed a person who starts exercising and their entire outlook on the world changes? I can honestly say that I see it nearly every day. People who at one time were out of shape or overweight or unskilled and their newfound fitness creates a confidence and an overall zest for life that wasn't there before.
So teachers and employers I'm throwing out an idea to you, albeit a crazy one. If you want to get better productivity out of your students and employees then give them an occasional movement break. You might be surprised at how much good a little physical activity can do. And if your boss or teacher won't act on this advice then do it yourself. If your job is sedentary, then make the effort to get moving before or after work, or on your lunch. Parents, encourage your children to be more physically active after school, or better yet, do it with them. You'll be amazed at the difference a bit of movement can make. If nothing else, the physical activity and emotional release can help you better prepare it for those unexpected speed bumps we sometime experience on this turbulent road we call life.
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