Parent concern: We want him/her to focus on his studies (it’s an important academic year for them)
Exercise is proven to improve cognitive function and reduce stress.
There can be an improvement in productivity if activity is incorporated alongside homework. Being active can also be good when fitted in as a break in between doing homework.
It may make you more efficient and productive in your revision. Exercise is known to have numerous protective effects on the brain as well as cognitive benefits, especially for memory and learning. Exercise leads to neurogenesis, where new neurons are generated and incorporated into the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in, amongst other things, long and short-term memory.
Tips you may wish to share
Look for times in your day and try and schedule activity accordingly. This will allow a routine to develop. Involving family members can make this more fun. You may want to try 15 minutes of schoolwork followed by 5 minutes of exercise.
‘Chunking’ work with activity breaks can make you more productive in this way and if revising for an exam can help with remembering key facts. Structuring exercise into your routine may even enable homework to be completed more efficiently.
References
Ref. Carter T, Morres I, Repper J, Callaghan P. Exercise for adolescents with depression: valued aspects and perceived change. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing. 2016 Feb;23(1):37-44.
Liu, P.Z. and Nusslock, R., 2018. Exercise-mediated neurogenesis in the hippocampus via BDNF. Frontiers in neuroscience, 12, p.52.