We all know that exercising is good for your health and can help lower your number on a BMI calculator. However, the benefits of staying active go beyond that. Exercising can also help improve your academic performance in a variety of ways, both making it easier for you to get through long study sessions, and even helping to regulate your mental state. Here are some of the ways in which exercising can help you learn more.
1 – Regulate your sleep
The importance of sleep for college students is hard to overstate. While you can and probably will skip on some sleep to meet deadlines throughout your academic career, it’s important to make sure that when you do decide to get some rest, you’re able to easily get a full night’s sleep. Preferably without constantly waking up and tossing and turning during the night.
That’s because sleep plays a big role in how your memory stores information in your long-term memory. Getting a full night’s sleep also makes it easier for you to start the next day feeling sharp and alert, which allows you to get more done. And one way to help get your sleep in order is to start exercising regularly.
Exercise helps regulate your hormonal levels, which can have a big impact on your sleep quality. On top of that, exercise will also leave you plain old exhausted, which many people find helps them fall asleep more easily.
2 – Alleviate stress
Your hormonal levels don’t just impact your sleep. They also have a direct impact on your mental health, including your levels of stress and anxiety. And by helping to regulate those hormones, exercise can help regulate both problems, lessening the intensity of the symptoms. Getting plenty of sleep can also help alleviate symptoms of chronic stress, and as mentioned, exercise can also regulate your sleep.
3 – Prevent soreness
Adopting an exercise routine can also help reduce how sore you feel after a long study session. It can sound counterintuitive. How can exercise, a thing that makes you sore, help prevent soreness?
Well, it’s simple. One of the functions of your muscles is to support your body as you stand or sit in various positions. And by strengthening those muscles, you can make them better at their job. Working on your core, as well as your neck and shoulder muscles can all strengthen these regions, making it easier for you to study for long periods without feeling quite so sore. Stretching and exercising can also improve your flexibility in those areas, further helping your muscles deal with all sorts of stress.
4 – Energy levels
Regular exercise improves how your body handles oxygen, nutrients, and other sources of energy. All of it comes together to make your body more efficient, which in turn boosts your overall energy levels, making it easier for you to get more done throughout the day. Combine that with the fact that regular exercise will help improve how disciplined you are, and it all comes together to help you be a lot more productive than you once were.
Of course, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. There are lots of reasons why people find themselves lagging behind or procrastinating. But exercising can be helpful, especially if you generally feel tired all the time.
