Addressing adhd with exercise
If you are a parent of a child with hyperactivity, impulsivity, mood and behavior issues and inattention problems, you will want to look for solutions that will naturally help regulate your child and their ADHD symptoms.
Exercise is one such lifestyle factor that research has shown to provide many benefits in improving ADHD symptoms. These improvements include reducing impulsivity and hyperactivity, improving attention, and enhancing performance on executive functioning tasks.
The ADHD brain has been found to have low levels of dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Studies have shown improvement in these levels in children and adults post exercise similar to the effects noted with stimulant medicines. These findings are vital for those parents that are looking for a natural solution to ADHD or whose children have had no luck with or had many side effects with stimulant medicines.
Exercise allows the increased availability of dopamine and norepinephrine that helps with executive functioning, improve cognitive and behavioral functioning. Similarly, improvements in serotonin levels and the release of endorphins have also been noted to help with mood regulation.
Exercise has also shown an upregulation of growth factors, such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF plays a crucial role in brain development and plasticity as well as in learning and memory.
What do all these findings mean for you and your child?
Exercise should be a non-negotiable part of your family’s day. It means that exercise should be considered as an essential component of your child’s treatment. It will help regulate your child and will allow them to make gains in school, socially and at home.
A consistent schedule can help them feel better and has been shown to provide effects like those provided by stimulant medication.
Does this mean your child has to become a marathon runner?
No, unless that’s what they aspire to! Exercise is any physical activity that they enjoy doing and can be moderate to intense depending on what your child enjoys. The key is to consistently take part in physical activities daily, whether it’s a walk, a run, jumping on the trampoline or a sport.
Some parents of children with ADHD report that their child struggles with team sports. That should not discourage you from finding other ways to help your child stay active. For those that enjoy team sport and excel in them, that is a great option, for other that are athletically inclined, there are other sports such as swimming, athletics, ballet, martial arts etc. For others, a simple walk around the block, or a bike ride is just as beneficial and will give similar results!
Research also shows that children that have some physical activity before their school day begins, show better focus and attention. This could be a great topic of discussion to bring up with your child’s teachers to allow for physical activity before school starts, or allow for physical activity breaks when your child’s attention wavers or they act up in class.
The best thing that comes out of this is that your child will make connections with how they feel when they are physically active comparative to when they aren’t. This will allow them to regulate their mood and attention through exercise.