Experts recommend that you get in 150 minutes of cardio per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercises. These guidelines help you function optimally mentally and physically. Granted, with the heavy workload, different environment and an uncertain social life, college life can feel overwhelming. However, it’s never advisable to forego your workouts as these have a significant impact on your college life. How important are they? Read all about that here.
Boost Brain Cell Development
Exercising affects the brain in many ways. One of these ways is by increasing the heart rate, which in turn helps pump more oxygen to the brain. This supports the release of hormones that provide an optimal environment for the growth of new brain cells. Improved brain functions work in your favor and bring you closer to achieving and maintaining an enviable G.P.A.
Better Memory
Regular exercise also promotes brain plasticity. This is through improving the connections between brain neurons. There has also been a link between exercise and the brain’s ability to grow new neuronal connections. People that have difficulty clearing the sleep fog in the mornings also find early morning workouts quite useful. These sessions make you more alert and help prime your brain for learning. Exercising can also break up mental fatigue and afternoon lethargy. This does not have to be complicated. Even a few jumping jacks can rejuvenate you after long study sessions.
Relieves Stress
In a recent survey, 3 out of 4 college students admitted to being stressed. This can take a toll on a student’s academic, physical and emotional wellbeing. Also, stress makes it harder to concentrate and affects memory and recall, which can affect your performance negatively.Working out increases the production of feel-good neurotransmitters known as endorphins. While this is known as a runners high, many different physical activities can deliver the same feeling.Stress can lead to deeper issues such as anxiety and depression or manifest physically. This leads to missed classes resulting in poor performance. Find time to jog, yoga, swimming, play tennis and any other activities that increase your heart rate. Similarly, explore your sources of stress and the best ways to resolve them. Aside from exercise, consider delegating some of your workload to a homework doer. This will free up some time and allow you to focus on more urgent course work fully.
Support Good Sleep
An adult requires 7-9 hours of sleep each night. And not just sleep but quality, restorative sleep.Sleeping well boosts your immunity and helps your body fight off ailments, improves your memory, increases your attention span and makes you more productive. In short, sound sleep ensures you are in the best form to attend class, absorb information, and do well. Exercising helps you sleep better by reducing your stress levels. This relaxes you and helps ease you to sleep. It also exhausts you, and your brain naturally transitions into restorative sleep.
Keeps You in Good Health
Lack of exercise has been proven to cause heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and high blood pressure. Remember, any time you are unwell, you are also likely to cut classes and miss out on study sessions. This affects your performance, college experience and general quality of life. With college posing its own set of challenges, you need to be in top shape to tackle anything that comes your way. Working out gets you physically fit and gives you the mental agile to manage college life better.
Gives You a Balanced Experience
While books, exams and grades are a huge part of college, your social life is just as important. Remember, college is fertile ground for building lifelong personal and professional networks. Going to the campus gym, the pool, tennis court, or even a long run also provides avenues to meet new people and create impactful friendships.
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