Does Exercise Help With Studying
Sometimes, we wish there was an invention to soak up all of a textbook’s information. What if we told you there was something that would help you do that? And no, we aren’t telling you to sleep with a textbook under your pillow!
Exercise has been proven to help students study. The ‘feel good’ hormones your body release during exercise improves cognitive thinking, memory, and focus; thus, making any study session more productive and enjoyable. As a result, it’s recommended to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-high intense exercise before or after studying.
So now you know the secret, how can you incorporate it into your study schedule? To help you, we’ve outlined everything you need to know to get the most out of studying.
Does Exercise Guarantee Better Grades
Exercise should be used as a tool alongside studying; however, it won’t guarantee better grades by itself. In the same way, you can’t spend all your time in the gym and expect to ace a history exam – you have to put in hours of revision for it to be effective.
Exercise increases your odds of improving your grade because it makes your studying more productive and you absorb more information. So, while it puts the odds in your favor, you still need to dive into the books to see the benefits!
The extent to which exercise improves your grades depends on three factors:
- The balance between studying and exercising.
- How intense you train.
- How intense you study.
For example, you don’t want to train too intensely; otherwise, you risk injury, which can prevent you from learning. On the other hand, you don’t want to study too hard, or you risk burnout. So, find your balance to optimally juggle both.
Is It Better To Workout Before Studying Or After
The best time for a student to workout is down to personal preference. Some prefer it before a study session, while others prefer it after. To optimize your decision, consider your timetable and what you aim to get from a workout session.
When you should workout before you study:
Working out before studying is better for non-morning individuals who need a chemical boost before revising. If you feel dull or unexcited to study, do a 30-minute workout to release endorphins, which elevate your mood and improve your focus.
It’s best to do a moderately intense workout, such as an outdoor run. This releases uplifting hormones to make you feel fresh and pumped, but won’t exhaust you for the rest of the day.
When you should workout after you study:
Working out after your study is best for individuals who build up anxiety. Hitting a 30-minute workout after your study releases dopamine, which shakes off stress and completely clears the mind. This helps you to unwind from your work and get a better sleep.
It’s best to do a highly intense workout such as weight lifting. This encourages a complete change in your frame of mind, allowing you to ‘turn off’ your brain and rest well.
In our experience, we used a hybrid method. We would go on 20-minute walks in between our studies. And once we’ve done our revision, we would have a weight training or boxing session. This kept our brain full of oxygen throughout the day but also shook off the stress at the end of the day.
Is Exercise More Important Than Studying
It’s imperative to schedule time for exercise and studying; with good time management, you can maximize each benefit. So, you shouldn’t prioritize one over the other; instead, use both to complement one another.
If you don’t have to choose between them and do both, that is always the advised route. Nonetheless, we understand picking both isn’t always possible – there is an opportunity cost. In this case, which should you pick?
Well, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. It all depends on your goals and personal circumstances. For example:
- If it’s exam season, you’ve done no studying and spent your time playing football in the week, we advise you to spend your weekend working.
- If you’ve been set a project on the last day of college, spending the day playing sports is okay as you have the whole summer to complete it.
Of course, it won’t always be as black and white as this, so use this as a rule of thumb during exam periods:
Spend 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise across the week. If you fall behind this, allocate time to exercise; otherwise, study.
Best Exercises To Help With Studying
Do you need some inspiration on what exercises to do? No problem, we got you.
Some effective exercises to help you study better include:
| Exercise | Description |
|---|---|
| Circuit Training | Going back-to-back on 3 sets of 15 starjumps, burpees, high knees, and mountain climbers. |
| Weight Training | Using a push/pull/leg split across the week. The longer you want to train, the lower the intensity should be |
| Team Sports | Examples are basketball, football, cricket, hockey or netball. |
| Fartlek running | Going on a run and upping the pace every time you see a blue car. |
| Calisthenics | This includes bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, planks, and tricep dips. |
Benefits Exercising Has On Studying
If you want to learn more about the whys and hows, we have gone into detail about the benefits exercise has on studying, specifically your energy, concentration, and mood levels. To brief:
- Creates a balanced routine.
- Increases concentration levels.
- Helps to recharge the brain.
- Reduces levels of exam anxiety.
- Improves quality and length of sleep.
Creates A Balanced Routine
A timetable incorporating exercise slots helps you break down the workload and do activities you enjoy. This is far more likely to sustain through exam season than a timetable that’s 100% studying.
When exercising, you mix up your environment, the movements you perform, or even the clothes you wear. This gives a complete change of scenery from sitting at a desk; so, when you do return, you’re refreshed and think sharper.
Lots of students lose routine during exam season. This is why many struggle to focus. However, those who allocate time between exercising and studying are mentally prepared for each event; hence, they are more productive and more likely to get better grades (and a better body).
Increased Concentration Levels
What’s the actual biology between exercise and studying?
The more you exercise, the higher the oxygen flow to your brain. This optimizes brain function, which increases memory, concentration, and mood levels. As a result, you’re more productive and retain information for a lot longer when you study.
This benefit is heightened when exercising outdoors, as the air is much higher quality. Train in your garden, outdoor gym, or participate in an outdoor sport!
So, don’t just take our word for it; listen to the scientists!
Helps To Recharge The Brain
Exercise is a healthy alternative when you need a rest from studying. Whether it’s a 5-minute push-up set or a 2-hour tennis game, taking time to settle the brain is essential for getting the best grades.
To help illustrate it, check out this example of the Pomodoro graph. It shows that 5 minutes of exercise after 30 minutes of study time helps regenerate active levels to nearly the same as starting fresh! However, activity levels would drop if you were to keep going (shown by the dotted line.)
Everyone has their own time scale, but the key takeaway is that doing an activity you enjoy (in this case, exercise) increases your revision quality.
Reduce Levels of Exam Anxiety
Sitting at your desk for a prolonged amount of time can make your studies overwhelming and build anxiety. Some individuals think the best solution is staying up all night. Not quite – try exercise.
You may think you’ve got so much work to do and spending time away from your desk is inefficient. But, if you spend that time exercising, you’ll release feel-good hormones that reduce anxiety and flourish the brain with oxygen – letting you think clearly.
Exercise helps you battle the pressure of exams and puts you in a calmer, happier state when revising.
In fact, most people return to their desks with a new frame of mind and realize they’re completely on top of their work and are stressing over nothing. Other students have been up all night trying to solve a math equation and realized it was right in front of them the whole time!
Improves Quality And Length Of Sleep
It’s no secret many students rely on caffeine and energy drinks to keep them energized when studying. Want to know a healthier alternative? Yep, you guessed it, exercise.
Exercise helps regulate your circadian rhythm—your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. This improves the quality and length of your sleep. As a result, you are more energized to study and can sustain long periods without losing focus or feeling tired.
You’ll also wake up in a much better mood. This helps with motivation and makes studying a more pleasant experience.
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