In the same way that lifting weights tones muscle, research shows mental exercise tones the brain. For children with attention and learning challenges, brain fitness—or exercise of executive functions like memory, prioritizing and attention—can catapult once struggling learners to school success, says Dr. Mary Ann Block, an osteopathic physician and nationally acclaimed book author and director of The Block Center in North Texas. But how, exactly, does dribbling a basketball equate to educational triumphs, particularly for a kid who can hardly sit still at his classroom desk?
Dr. Block, who works extensively with children with attention challenges, explains that exercise is key to solving attention and learning challenges in two ways: Physical activity burns sugar (which contributes to hyperactivity). It also builds connections between the right and left sides of the brain, a necessary step toward building a better learner. “I [commonly] hear parents say their child’s recess is taken away if he has misbehaved in class,” says Block. “But there is a direct relationship between physical activity and a child’s ability to focus.”
The first suspect, says Block, is an elevated sugar level. But, she warns, “Many parents have their children tested and find that the child’s blood [sugar] is normal.” This, she says, can be misleading because hyperactivity occurs when sugar levels are elevated (after eating, say, a sugary bowl of cereal). “The body naturally releases adrenaline to drop the blood sugar—this is why the kid can’t sit still,” Block says. Yet, if you test the blood an hour or so after this incident, the body has probably regulated the sugar levels back to normal (so a child’s test results will appear fine).
Block also looks closely at children with attention or learning challenges to note any processing problems that the child might exhibit. Struggles with concentration, coordination and following directions can spell trouble for kids who are never taught in ways that are most conducive to their own learning style, says Block. “Part of the challenge for kids today is that they spend so much time in a two dimensional world, with TV and video games. Yet, the world is three dimensional and can pose a processing strain on a child’s brain if their brain works differently.”
The solution to both culprits (spiking blood sugar and processing challenges)? Dr. Robert Young, attention deficit disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder specialist at the ADD/ADHD Treatment Center in Plano, agrees with Bock that exercise is key. “Regular exercise helps increase the chemical levels of norepinephrine and dopamine, which helps the brain retain memories of facts and events,” Young explains. “Exercise also increases the oxygen level in the blood, helping a child feel less stressed and more alert.”
For children who struggle with more complex processing problems, a dose of exercise can actually train the brain to overcome focus and attention problems, says Block, who adds, “We can teach kids exercises to help them moderate their own behavior.”
Learning how to perform a reverse jumping jack or dribbling a basketball with the weaker-coordinated hand can help build the connections between a child’s right and left side of the brain—thus creating more efficient pathways within the brain to enable more focused learning. Young stresses that exercise is not a cure for ADHD, but a necessary part of a child’s life that helps balance any prescribed drug therapy. “Exercise, particularly in the late afternoon, will help bridge the gap when a medication might begin to dissipate from the system before homework time,” he says.
The more complex a sport, the better (just as intense cardio tones your heart, sports like gymnastics and karate require deep concentration—toning the brain); however, notes Block, a child who struggles with attention shouldn’t jump straight into an organized fitness class. Small steps, like the suggested dribbling exercises and jumping jacks, will help lay the foundation for more complex activities, she says, adding, “exercise changes how the brain works; it helps children with attention challenges simply function better.”
