Exercise and Memory
As a student, exercising seems almost secondary to the copious amount of homework assigned. However, did you know that sufficient and regular exercise is essential, to improving your memory and in turn academic performance?
According to the Singapore Health Promotion Board, one should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise. There are many ways to achieve this even with your hectic schedules, including choosing to walk instead of taking the bus, walking up stairs instead of taking the lift and many more. However, do ensure that each exercise session is at least 10 minutes.
Here are some of the benefits of including exercise in your daily life:
1. Exercise improves your memory and sleep, which also improves memory.
Exercising increases oxygen flow to your brain, which helps the brain function better and absorb information. Research has also shown that intense aerobic activity can actually grow new brain cells in a part of the brain responsible for memory, the hippocampus.
Working out in the day can also allow yourself to have better quality sleep, which in turn improves retention of information! For more on how sleep improves memory, check out our article, Sleep and Memory.
2. Exercise improves mood and alleviates mental health.
Much research has been done to show that exercise improves one’s mood and decreases feelings of stress and anxiety. In a fast-paced education system, this is extremely helpful to destress, and prevent burnout or negative emotions. This is because intense exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which help us feel happier. 15 to 20 minutes into exercising, endorphins are released, and they peak at 45 minutes. It is good to try to factor in exercise daily, both for memory as well as your mental well-being!
For more information on what types of exercise work best to alleviate mental health, check out our article, Exercising : What Helps For Mental Health?
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By: Shana Lam