Adding Exercise to School’s Daily Routine Improves Grades
There was once a myth that athlete’s who were successful on the playing field were unsuccessful inside the classroom. Recent studies show that this myth is proving to be false. “If you want to raise test scores, we have documented evidence – big-time evidence – that the key is to include fitness-based activity in the day,” insists John Ratey, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School and a lead researcher in the area. “There’s no question about it.”
Exercise promotes the simulation of endorphins: norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Emerging research shows that physical activity creates biological changes that encourage brain cells to bind to one another. For the brain to learn, these connections must be made.
Adding 15-30mins of physical activity throughout the day has a direct correlation to improved learning and better grades. The common phrase of “dumb jock” is losing weight in the class room.
