Exercise has a profound affect on ADHD and the child, teen or
adult. In addition to promoting health, a regular exercise program
can modifying behavior in the ADHD child and may even promote
brain growth.
Aerobic exercise increases levels of the neurotransmitters
dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters
provide emotional stability, the ability to focus, mental
alertness and calmness. Conversely, a deficiency in
neurotransmitters can cause depression, mood swings, irritability,
anxiety, attention problems, stress and sleep problems.
Exercise also releases endorphins, the opiate-classified
messengers of our emotional system that elevate mood, increase
pleasure and minimize pain.
The degree of chemical change is dependent on the intensity,
duration and frequency of the aerobic activity.
Current fitness and exercise research makes a correlation between
an active lifestyle and positive changes in brain chemistry, brain
growth and development. Studies also show that exercise has a
positive affect on curbing negative behaviors common in the ADHD
child.
A 2001 State University of New York, Buffalo study showed the
positive benefits of exercise on ADHD children. The study group -
ADHD children between the ages of 5 and 12 - participated in 40
minutes of intense exercise five days per week.
Children involved in this study showed a significant improvement
in behavior over the six-week duration of the study. Behavior
changes were generally noticeable two to four weeks after
beginning the exercise program and children with oppositional
behaviors made the greatest improvements with exercise.
This study makes good common sense; give hyperactive an outlet for
their excess energy and they will have less to cause trouble with.
National statistics show that today’s children are increasingly
less active than children 10 years ago. Not so coincidentally,
psychosomatic disorders and ADHD prescriptions have skyrocketed
over the same time frame.
If you have an ADHD child or teen or if you are an adult with
ADHD, the kindest most healthy treatment plan is one that focuses
on routine intense aerobic exercise, and one that includes a
nutritious diet and an attentional supplement program to fill any
gaps.
The child, teen or adult with ADHD needs to incorporate at least
30 minutes of activity to each day. At least 20 minutes of this
exercise needs to be at a moderate to intense level. Below are a
few aerobic exercises to incorporate into your and your child’s
life:
_ Bicycling at 10 mph. _ Brisk walking at 4 mph (15 minutes/mile). _ Jogging. _ Hiking. _ Ice skating. _ In-line skating or roller skating. _ Jumping roping. _ Raking leaves. _ Shoveling snow. _ Skateboarding. _ Washing and waxing the car. _ Weight training. _ Circuit training.
It is important for an adult to make the exercise effort a family
affair. An adult displaying a positive attitude and a shared
interest in exercise supports and encourages the child or teen to
follow suit. This may be the time to start addressing those extra
pounds that have made way to the body over the years.
