Physical Exercises for ADHD?
Boosting your body can be a great way to boost your brain
Talking about the benefits of physical exercise may seem quite obvious and redundant. After all, how could an active life be bad? But science doesn't take our empirical impressions for granted; scientists need to confirm and prove things before advocating for technical guidance.
Sometimes there are interesting surprises, such as the discovery that even a small amount of exercise can help reduce symptoms of ADHD in adults, according to research by scientists at the University of Georgia.
Published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise in 2016, the study found that a single session of exercise can provide significant psychological benefits for adults experiencing ADHD symptoms. Scientific papers often state that at least 6 percent of adults report symptoms consistent with ADHD, which as we know, can result in anxiety, depression, low energy and motivation, poor performance at work or school, and relationship concerns.
“Exercise is already recognized for its stress-reducing and mood-enhancing effects, so it has great potential to aid those suffering from ADHD symptoms,” explained the study’s senior author, Patrick O’Connor, a professor in UGA’s College of Education’s kinesiology department. He also stated that while prescription medications can address these symptoms, they come with risks, side effects, and tradeoffs particular to each substance, whereas exercise does not carry any of these risks.
The research involved young men with ADHD who participated in a 20-minute moderate-intensity cycling session on one day and spent 20 minutes resting on another day as a control condition. Participants completed a task requiring focus both before and after each condition, with researchers monitoring their leg movements, mood, attention, and self-reported motivation to perform the task.
Results showed that after exercising, participants were more motivated to engage in the task, felt less confused, and experienced increased energy levels. Notably, while leg movements and task performance remained unchanged after exercising, the exercise made participants feel more positive about performing the task.
These findings align with a previous research indicating that a single exercise session can boost energy levels, when suggested that young people with ADHD symptoms can gain psychological benefits from brief workouts, similar to those experienced by the general adult population.
The decrease in confusion and boost in motivation to complete cognitive tasks imply that different types of acute exercise might enhance cognitive performance. According to the scientists, varying the mode, duration, or intensity of exercise—beyond a simple cycle ride in a sterile lab setting—could yield even greater cognitive benefits for those people with ADHD.
I can relate my own example. After years of attempting to establish an exercise routine and failing, it has been a little over a year since I developed the habit of running 3 or 4 times a week. I aim to run every other day as much as possible, occasionally skipping a day or two, but overall managing to run for 20-25 minutes 10 to 13 times a month, which I consider an achievement.
This achievement is not only significant because I have always struggled to maintain an exercise routine, but also because routines, in general, have been challenging for me. It's actually a double accomplishment. Additionally, I truly feel that it has a positive effect on my mood. While it may not be a life-changing measure on its own, it likely plays an important role, not only for managing ADHD but also for overall health.
So let's choose your favorite activity and get moving, whether it's cycling, walking, running, or whatever activity that makes your body active. As the motto says, a healthy mind resides in a healthy body (mens sana in corpore sano).
The study, “Acute Exercise Improves Mood and Motivation in Young Men with ADHD Symptoms,” is available online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26741120.
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