BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
THE EARLY YEARS 0-4
Physical activity is essential for successful early childhood growth and development. By being active for at least 180 minutes a day, young children can: - maintain a healthy weight - improve gross motor skills - build a healthy heart - have fun and feel happy - develop self-confidence - improve learning and attention |
CHILDREN 5-11
Research has shown that increased physical activity leads to decreased chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. By being active for at least 60 minutes a day, children can: - improve their health - perform better in school - improve their fitness - feel happier - learn new skills - maintain a healthy body weight - improve self-confidence |
YOUTH 12-17
Research has shown that when youths increase their physical activity to at least 60 minutes per day, they not only reduce their risk of heart disease, but are generally happier and healthier. Increasing physical activity can also help youths: - grow stronger - do better in school - learn new skills - maintain a healthy body weight - have fun with friends - improve their self-confidence |
WHY DO WE NEED PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS?In the past, physical education has not received the recognition it deserves as a vital component to student learning. Often referred to as gym class, it has been seen as a time for students to play, with little academic learning provided. However, as our society changes and adapts a "learning through play" teaching philosophy, views towards physical education are changing. Today, not only are more and more people are beginning to view physical education as a time for student to be active and healthy, to learn fundamental skills, to socialize and to gain self confidence, but they are beginning to see that all of this can be accomplished from a simple game of tag.
Learn About Endorphins and Running for Health
***Thank you to Cassie and Ashley for this great resource!!!***
Working up a sweat can feel like a great way to burn off stress and turn a day around. By now, many people have heard about the power of endorphins during a workout, and some even pursue exercise to keep that “runner’s high” going. Some people run to chase the endorphin high achieved from running, and these natural endorphins can also help to battle addiction.
What Are Endorphins?When the body feels stress or experiences pain, neurochemicals called endorphins are made in the brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Endorphins are similar to morphine in that they are a natural painkiller and activate opioid receptors in the brain.
What Are Endorphins?When the body feels stress or experiences pain, neurochemicals called endorphins are made in the brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Endorphins are similar to morphine in that they are a natural painkiller and activate opioid receptors in the brain.
- Feelings of euphoria and well-being are distributed throughout the body when endorphins are released.
- The euphoric feeling of a runner’s high comes from inside the brain, which floods the body with feel-good chemicals.
- A neurotransmitter called anandamide impacts the brain. This becomes elevated after exercise and can travel from the blood to the brain.
- Exercise has been known to support more positive mental health and alleviate depression.
- Running helps lower the risk of developing some cancers.
- Running reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.
- Running also helps people avoid neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Running doesn’t require significant gear aside from a good pair of running shoes.
- Kids may sleep better and have more self-esteem and confidence if they run regularly.
- Kids may also lower their risk for type 2 diabetes and cholesterol problems.
- Try kickboxing with weighted gloves.
- Calisthenics such as jumping jacks, squat jumps, and burpees will effectively raise the heart rate.
- Even running up and down the stairs for several minutes can be ideal for raising your heart rate.
- Virtual races enable you to participate on your own terms without battling crowds.
- Virtual races are also ideal for new runners to experiment with running different distances.
- How to Achieve a Runner’s High
- Exercise and Depression
- The Truth Behind Runner’s High and Other Mental Benefits of Running
- Endorphins and the Runner’s High
- How to Achieve the Ultimate Runner’s High
- Exercising to Relax
- Be Well: The Truth About Endorphins and Runner’s High
- Running Slows the Aging Clock
- Long-Distance Running: An Investigation Into its Impact on Human Health
- The Benefits of Running
- Sweat it Out: Exercise in Addiction Recovery
- Adding Exercise to Health Education Helps Treat Addiction
- Benefits of Children Being Active
- Aerobic Exercise: Top Ten Reasons to Get Physical
- HIIT vs. Continuous Cardiovascular Exercise
- Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Exercise: What’s the Difference?
MENTAL HEALTH AND EXERCISE
MINDING OUR BODIES: PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH
There are many health factors that are influenced by exercise, for example, mood, self-esteem, social anxiety, sleep and cognitive function. To discover more about how exercise impacts these areas of health, click here. |
MIND AND EXERCISE
The following Word Map was created to show the keys words from the article, "Exercise and the brain: Something to chew on" by Henriette van Praag. As you can see, some of the most prominent ideas throughout this article relate to physical exercise, activity, brain function, health and learning. To review this article in more detail, click here. |
NEUROSCIENCE AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
According to Berg (2010), recent research has strengthened the connection between physical education and cognitive function. For more information about this research, click the link below to read Berg's article. |