Staying physically active is good for your health. Well, that’s not exactly breaking news. And yet, many students struggle to reap those benefits.
In fact, only about a quarter of 6- to 17-year-olds in the United States actually meet the definition of physically active, which is 60 minutes of physical activity a day. College students aren’t doing much better. Most of them don’t meet physical activity guidelines, either.
Exercise is important not just for students’ physical health, though. It has a surprising impact on mental well-being and cognition, as well. So, let’s explore the many facets of physical activity benefits for students.
Why Is Physical Activity Important for Students?
No matter the age, schoolchildren and students often lead a sedentary lifestyle. Most classes have them sit down and take notes. Doing homework isn’t something they can do on the go, either. Leisure today often involves sitting in front of the TV or scrolling social media, too.
In the U.S., an estimated 21.1% of children and adolescents were obese in 2021–2023. More than 40% of children and adolescents also have at least one chronic condition.
Improving physical health isn’t the only reason why physical activity for students is so important, though. Staying physically active also:
- Improves students’ ability to learn
- Helps maintain consistent energy levels
- Improves sleep quality and concentration
- Offers social benefits through participation in clubs and team sports
3 Ways Physical Activity for Students Helps
Regular physical activity does a lot more than help manage weight and ward off heart disease and diabetes. It also improves brain function and supports mental well-being. Here’s how.
Physical Activity and Brain Function
Even a single session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves cognitive function. Turning physical activity into a habit, in turn, has a positive effect on various aspects of executive function, including the ability to:
- Plan and organize
- Initiate tasks
- Monitor, inhibit, and facilitate behaviors
- Control emotions
- Concentrate and maintain attention
- Solve problems
What’s more, regular physical activity improves processing speed and memory.
Since you don’t directly engage your brain during exercise, you might be surprised to see this list. But there’s a good reason for it: exercise promotes blood flow to the brain, including to the regions that control thinking and memory. Improved sleep quality and lower stress levels, two other benefits of regular exercise, can also indirectly boost cognitive function.
Physical Activity and Mental Health: A Surprising Link
Students have to deal with tons of stressful situations, especially in college. And they know it: a third (35.8%) even go as far as to call stress out as an academic impediment. Common stressors include exams, deadlines, living on your own for the first time, finances, and having to balance studies and work.
How can physical activity help? One survey decided to investigate. It found that physical education classes improved students’ mental well-being, both directly and indirectly.
Regular exercise improves mental well-being by:
- Decreasing sensitivity to the body’s reaction to anxiety
- Promoting the growth of new neurons, which helps relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions
- Decreasing stress hormones like cortisol
- Increasing endorphins, feel-good chemicals, which improves mood
- Promoting emotional regulation
- Fostering social connections
Physical Benefits of Staying Active for Students
Perhaps, the most obvious benefit of exercise is its impact on physical health. In children and adolescents, for example, it:
- Boosts cardiometabolic health (i.e., blood sugar levels)
- Builds endurance
- Improves blood pressure and aerobic fitness
- Strengthens bones
- Helps reduce body fat and maintain a healthy weight
Physical activity reduces health risks no matter the age group. Those risks include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, infectious diseases, and even some cancers. Plus, it correlates with better sleep quality and time.
Ultimately, regular physical activity may extend the lifespan: mortality rates are higher among people with low physical activity levels.
Benefits of Physical Activity for Students: What They Mean for Academic Performance
Students tend to see exercise as an either-or choice. You can either chip away at the mountains of homework, or go for a walk. The deadline is near, so a walk would only be taking time away from studying.
That’s a false dilemma. Regular physical activity quite literally improves academic performance by:
- Improving concentration and attention span
- Strengthening memory
- Enhancing executive function
- Boosting cognitive performance
University students who exercise are less likely to drop classes or fail at exams. High school students with higher grades, in turn, are more likely to spend at least 60 minutes a day on physical activity and play team sports.
That’s why exercise isn’t an extra activity that might take time away from studies. It’s an investment in your future academic performance.
Physical Activity Examples for Students Worth Trying
What comes to your mind when you try to conjure up an example of physical activity for students? You might be picturing a gym with schoolchildren playing basketball or dodgeball. While that’s certainly a valid example, it’s not the only one.
Everyday Activity
That’s right: even everyday tasks like going up the stairs or ditching the car for a bike for short-distance rides count as physical activity. Here’s what any student can do to get their body moving, without making a lot of effort or disrupting daily life:
- Walking to class
- Climbing stairs whenever possible
- Going for a brisk walk during study breaks
- Cycling instead of walking or driving
- Walking to get coffee or lunch
Structured Exercise
Getting your body moving in everyday life is already important, but structured exercise can be even more beneficial. It can generally be grouped into three categories:
- Aerobic exercise boosts your cardiovascular health and stamina. Think running, cycling, swimming, and dancing.
- Flexibility training increases your range of motion. Think yoga, stretching, and pilates.
- Strength training builds muscle mass and improves endurance. Think weightlifting and bodyweight exercises.
Social Activities
You don’t have to go it alone when it comes to exercise. In fact, exercising with someone by your side actually staves off the fatigue for longer and strengthens social connections.
Don’t know where to start? Consider social activities like:
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Soccer
- Football
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Hiking
Check in with university sports clubs to find like-minded peers who would like to go on a run or a bike ride with you, for example.
The Importance of Physical Activity for Students During Stressful Times
Exams, mid-terms, deadlines, finals… Once those start looming on the horizon, students get stressed out, decide to “lock in,” and end up spending more time hunched over a desk and less time moving around. The result? Lower sleep quality, poorer concentration, and, ultimately, worse grades.
Stressful times are exactly when you should make an effort to exercise, even if just a little bit. Any kind of exercise is a potent stress reliever as it can:
- Shift your focus away from stressful thoughts
- Offer a mental break from studying
- Create daily routine that serves as an anchor in unpredictable times
- Boost mood with those feel-good endorphins
- Increase energy levels
Final Thoughts
Physical activity benefits for students aren’t limited to improved physical health. Regular exercise can quite literally make them better learners, all while improving their mental well-being and brain health.
Contrary to popular belief, students don’t have to go to the gym three times a week to reap these benefits. Going for brisk walks or cycling counts as moderate-intensity exercise and they can be incorporated into existing daily routines fairly easily.