What Is the Relationship Between Physical Exercise & Learning Ability?

The sedentary lifestyle that modern conveniences has engendered doesn't just threaten your health. It also jeopardizes your cognitive abilities. Your body was born for motion, and without regular physical activity, it cannot work properly. This extends to your ability to concentrate, think and learn. You may want to believe that your body and your mind are separate, but to keep your brain in top condition and improve your learning ability, you have to exercise.

Impressive Results

• In his 2008 book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain," Cambridge psychiatrist John J. Ratey tells the story of a Illinois high school that has done the most to reveal the benefits physical exercise has on learning ability. Naperville Central High School has incorporated a "zero hour" PE class into students' schedules. It's an early morning exercise class that students are required to attend as part of the curriculum. The most revealing part of the Naperville experiment is in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study test that is administered to high school students throughout the world every year. Although students in the United States in general are ranked in 18th place in science and 19th place in mathematics, Naperville students ranked an impressive first in science and an equally commendable sixth in math.

Optimum Exercise Time

• Interest in the connection between exercise and learning has inspired doctors, researchers, scientists and educators to determine when is the best time for physical activity to occur in relationship to studying. The 2011 "Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning" states that learning while exercising is favorable because of increased oxygen to the system (specifically the brain), increased release of neurotransmitters induced by exercise, and increased neurotrophins that support the growth of neurons. But as the experiment at the Illinois high school has shown, the benefits continue even after exercise is over. Students who attend a literacy class directly after their early-morning PE class do better than the students who have the class scheduled for eighth period. Additionally, Naperville Central High School guidance counselors have found that scheduling students' hardest subjects immediately after PE class improved comprehension and scores.

Academic Benefits

• Academic achievement is the obvious gauge that demonstrates physical exercise enhances learning abilities, but there are many other education-related benefits that improve with exercise. According to a 2010 report put out by the Centers for Disease Control, these include improved self-esteem, control, educational potential, mood, discipline, attendance and homework completion. Additionally, the CDC reports lower dropout and higher graduation rates among those who participate in extracurricular physical activity and an increased inclination to attend college.

Exercise Breaks for Enhanced Learning

• Because exercise is an important component of learning, physical activity should be included throughout the day to make the most of the benefits it offers. A significant amount of time should be dedicated to exercise, but even short breaks throughout the day for physical activity are beneficial. The CDC recommends movement breaks of anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes to allow students to move about. It gives them a chance to relax, de-stress and prime their neurotransmitters for another round of learning.