Have you ever felt that when it moves, go out to take an outdoor walk or do some physical exercise, your mind becomes lucid, positive and thoughts flow as by magic? Well, it’s not magic, it’s science. And something that the ancient philosophers already sensed.
Aristotle and his Peripatetic school
Already Aristotle (335 BC. Therefore, he walked with his disciples through the Liceo Garden, el peripatosat the same time they interacted looking for answers.
In addition, curiously the Greek expression hoi peripatoûntes Literally means “those who walk.” Comes from the Greek verb peripatéōwhich implies “walking around”, with a contemplative or philosophical sense. From these words arose “the peripatetic school”, and their followers received the peculiar name of “the peripatetic.”
It seems that Aristotle and his peripatetic realized that the movement produced mental benefits that helped them make more timely conjectures. The Latin youth poet already formulated the expression: “Mind sound in a healthy body”, Linking it to the integral connection between the body and the mind. These benefits have also been used by many thinkers throughout history.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Oliver Sacks, Yukio Mishima or Santiago Ramón and Cajal shared a common idea: the practice of physical activity as an engine for the mind. Many of them found clarity, inspiration and a way of connecting with the urban world, nature and with themselves. For them, moving the body was also a way of stimulating thought.
In fact, Ramón and Cajal practiced bodybuilding and mountaineering, convinced that an active and healthy body was essential for cognitive performance.
What does science say in the physical activity and cognitive performance relationship?
Today, neuroscientific studies are a multitude that show that all these thinkers were right.
The practice of physical activity provides intellectual benefits from the first ages in all types of populations. For example, after making a 20 -minute walk at 60 % intensity, brain activation improves, which causes an increase in areas linked to attention and mental processing speed.
In addition, almost a decade ago, we published a deep systematic review that concluded that the level of physical form, especially cardiorespiratory, can also be decisive for these benefits. For example, a study in which more than one million young Swedes participated, showed that the physical cardiorespiratory condition acquired between 15 and 18 years predicted intellectual capacity at age 18.
In confirmation of all of the above, a recent meta -analysis included 133 systematic reviews that analyzed 2,724 interventions on the effectiveness of physical exercise for the improvement of cognition, memory and executive function in a total of 258 279 participants. It was shown that the exercise, including low and moderate intensity activities, improves all these cognitive variables.
What mechanisms activates physical activity to produce these benefits?
The practice of physical activity increases blood flow and produces angiogenesis, improving brain circulation and, with it, oxygenation and nutrient supply. This in turn causes the brain and emotional, cognitive or creative processes to improve.
Physical activity also improves plasticity and cerebral microstructure, and increases the production of the neurotrophic factor derived from the brain (BDNF), an essential protein for the formation of new neurons (neurogenesis) and for efficiency and neuronal connections (synaptogenesis).
On the other hand, physical activity causes the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, endorphins, serotonin and norepinephrine, related to well -being, happiness, mood, less anxiety or stress, attention or motivation. If the activity is also group, it can enhance self -regulation and social skills.
-Finally, all of the above also stimulates neuroprotective factors and reduces the risk of worrying neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
How can you take advantage of the practical level?
From our research group, we have been investigating this fascinating connection for years, especially around the educational and family context. Our studies reveal how the practice of physical activity during different times of the day is positively related to a multitude of key variables for emotional and cognitive development from the first ages.
For example, our systematic review and educational practical guide summarizes the effects of physically active academic lessons and acts or active recreations on cognition. This work provides a table with suggestions for the implementation of these stimuli in the educational context in young people from 6 to 12 years.
In addition, other studies that we have been doing show how played learning improves the acquisition of vocabulary or reading comprehension or self -concept, self -esteem and social skills of children. Also that active displacement, active school beginnings, active breaks or comprehensive, planned and controlled interventions from physical education can improve interesting mental, socio-emotional and cognitive-academic variables in children and adolescents.
Suggestions for any day
We recommend that the day start with active journeys to the educational center of at least 15-20 minutes. They can even be done in a group or raising challenges, such as trying to overcome a number of steps among all.
Upon arriving at the center, it would be ideal to start with a 16-minute stimulus implementing, for example, the C-Hiit program (cooperative exercises that intersperate short periods of high intensity and rest). This can improve care-concentration in an acute way. Another proposal could be the “Active-Start” program, starting the day with 30 minutes of coordination games and decision making.
During the morning it is very convenient to use physically active classes in which academic content can be taught through movement, even in early childhood education. It is also suggested to include, for example, 4-10 minutes of active breaks. Programs such as Fontervals or “Dame10” are some acquaintances.
Active recesses or physical education classes (which contain cognitive demand or cooperative and socio -emotional aspects) are equally very useful.
When leaving the educational center it is advisable to go to sports schools or continue moving in leisure times, being able to use various extracurricular programs or novel applications that can be used to motivate, through challenges, the daily compliance with recommended physical activity.
Finally, we must bear in mind that young people who perceive their parents more active or pending their practice tend to move more. This entails greater interest and adherence to physical activity, with the consequent benefits already described.
Challenges for current society
Although it seems clear that Aristotle and his peripatetic were right, there are many challenges and questions presented by today’s society. Is it viable to implement all these proposals? Some measures probably need institutional support and specific training of all involved. This requires a teaching methodological adaptation and one step forward of the entire community.
Another challenge will be to deal with the rise of new technologies, which can be rivals or allies. In some previous works we have already tried to show how their potentialities can be used, but without a doubt it must be the responsibility of all those involved to control and reduce the damages, taking advantage of all the advances.
Anyway, move. Your heart and brain will thank you.
