How does exercise help get better grades?
Today is the first of two Blue Mondays this year. In case you don’t know, Blue Monday is the most depressing day of the year. The ‘scientists’ who decide these things couldn’t narrow it down to just one for 2012, so Blue Monday is on January 16th and 23rd this year.
January is notoriously depressing because it’s dark and cold, there are no festivities to look forward to and we’ve all put on weight over Christmas and have to diet and exercise to get rid of the extra lard.
It may interest you to know, however, that while you are sweating it out at the gym, you may be doing your brain some good. How?
Dutch researchers have discovered a clear link between physical activity and improved grades at school. When we exercise, more blood and oxygen circulates to our brain, improving concentration and therefore concentration. It is also well established that exercise puts you in a better mood, making the perfect Blue Monday activity.
In a future post, we’ll be looking at specific exercises and physical activities for children which strengthen and develop neural pathways.
