Physical activity is a form of tension that teaches the body how to handle stress. Regular aerobic activity raises the alarm reaction of the body and in doing so, fortifies the nerve cells by activating the production of proteins that protect cells from damage and disease. Similar to a dose of inoculation, exercise raises the body's stress threshold by building the body's resilience.
In a recent experiment done at the National Institute of Mental Health, a group of mice subjected to intense stress developed anxiety-like behavior. They froze, hid in dark corners, refused to eat and acted in a depressed way.
However, another group of mice that had been allowed access to running wheels and passageways weeks before being subjected to the same stress, did not show signs of trauma at all. They appeared to have been immunized against the intense agitation they experienced. Somehow, the exercise they had on the running wheels made them stress resistant.
In short, exercise worked like a dose of inoculation with this second group of mice, providing them with a vaccine that primed their bodies, preventing them from falling apart.
Showing posts with label executuve functions of the brain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label executuve functions of the brain. Show all posts
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
How Exercise Helps Children with ADHD
Exercise Helps ADHD by Releasing Natural Mood-Regulating Chemicals
One reason why runners tend to cultivate a lifelong engagement with the activity is the "high" they experience from running. Exercise like running releases endorphins that "calm the brain and relieve muscle pain during strenuous exercise"(117). These "feel good" compounds regulate mood, pleasure and pain. Exercise also elevates levels of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in the blood. These neurotransmitters regulate the focus, attention and the reward centers of the brain. Ritalin and various stimulants have a direct effect on these brain chemicals as well. However, if exercise can "do the trick," why use medication?
Exercise is a natural and effective remedy for ADHD. It develops the executive functions of the brain which control impulsiveness and hyperactivity. It releases natural mood-regulating brain chemicals that develop focus, attention and a sense of well-being. Ratey insists that these effects can only be generated by consistent activity – daily exercise for 45 minutes to an hour six days a week. The key is to make exercise a life event – part of the child's routines.
Read more at http://adhdchildren.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_remedy_for_adhd
One reason why runners tend to cultivate a lifelong engagement with the activity is the "high" they experience from running. Exercise like running releases endorphins that "calm the brain and relieve muscle pain during strenuous exercise"(117). These "feel good" compounds regulate mood, pleasure and pain. Exercise also elevates levels of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in the blood. These neurotransmitters regulate the focus, attention and the reward centers of the brain. Ritalin and various stimulants have a direct effect on these brain chemicals as well. However, if exercise can "do the trick," why use medication?
Exercise is a natural and effective remedy for ADHD. It develops the executive functions of the brain which control impulsiveness and hyperactivity. It releases natural mood-regulating brain chemicals that develop focus, attention and a sense of well-being. Ratey insists that these effects can only be generated by consistent activity – daily exercise for 45 minutes to an hour six days a week. The key is to make exercise a life event – part of the child's routines.
Read more at http://adhdchildren.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_remedy_for_adhd
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