The results are in… and researchers seem to all be saying the same thing. An article in The Atlantic says that if you want to improve your mental focus, memory, and cognitive flexibility then step away from the screens and go moving. This is especially important for children dealing with ADHD and related disorders.
A study in the Journal of Attention Disorders shows that as little as 26 minutes of physical activity each day for 8 weeks will help significantly relieve ADHD symptoms in children. In fact one study seems to suggest that there’s a link between “excessive exercising” among those presenting ADHD symptoms in childhood and those individuals whose ADHD symptoms not being as severe when they grew up. Exercise, therefore, is not only good for the body but also the mind.
That being the case, it seems the only thing left is figuring out what kind of activity will work best for you? The article “On the Move” by Karen Sampson MA, published on the CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, website recommends looking for non-team-based activities including gymnastics, martial arts, running, rock climbing, golf or horseback riding; even skateboarding is listed as being beneficial. Sports and activities that require a person to focus solely on their own performance – engaging the mind and the body seem to be the way to go if you are looking for another way to help diminish your ADHD symptoms.
For more information you can checkout the links to these studies listed below:
“Pilot Physical Activity Intervention Reduces Severity of ADHD Symptoms in Young Children” – Journal of Attention Disorders
“Association of symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with symptoms of excessive exercising in an adult general population sample” – BMC Psychiatry
“On the Move”, CHADD – Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
