How Does Exercise Affect The Brain

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Sports and Physical Activity Improves Brain Function
Physical exercise has always been known to help in aiding the brain to work effectively and to remain in a healthy state. Studies show that students who are involved in sports and physical exercise receive higher scores in school. Sports and other forms of exercise help increase blood flow in the brain, helping the body build connections between nerves which play a role in maintaining a healthy weight, improving concentration, building problem-solving skills, boosting self-esteem, and many other skills that can help the brain to function more efficiently.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
In the United States, there are over one hundred and sixty million Americans who are either overweight or
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Concentration is critical in being able to function and learn properly in a classroom. Research shows that doing a mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities is especially helpful in gaining the ability to concentrate. “Participating in this kind of activity three to five times a week for at least 30 minutes can provide these mental health benefits” (Watson 2016). Sports also help to reduce stress and the risk of depression, which can greatly affect concentration. When involved in physical activity, individuals are able to be distracted and removed from their daily stressors, which often relieves them of stress, as well as helps to reduce the number of hormones that cause stress throughout the body, which even improve how they sleep.
Sports and other forms of exercise help to improve quality and quantity of sleep. By physically working the human body, when it comes time to go to bed, the impact of physical activity throughout the day can help people to fall asleep faster, as well as lead to a deepened and more restful sleep. Sleeping is very important and can even improve one’s outlook on the next day. For students, sleep is critical to being able to function and concentrate properly in a