By Paige Gibbens, PT, DPT

2 Ways Exercise Can Help Improve Focus

By Paige Gibbens, PT, DPT

 

It is not secret that exercise is an important part of life. Exercise is most commonly considered to improve physical health, but it can also have impacts on mental health. Did you know exercise can also help to improve focus, learning, memory, and reasoning?1 Exercise has an effect on the brain, which is how it can help to improve focus.

 

#1: Decreased anxiety

Anxiety is defined as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.”4 Anxiety can cause difficulty with attention to tasks, concentration, thinking, and reasoning. Exercise is a known non-medication anti-anxiety treatment. When you exercise, there are a variety of neurotransmitters (think natural body chemicals) that release into the brain, including dopamine. Dopamine is a substance that has a direct role in motivation and pleasure activities.3 These substances that get released have been shown to have an effect on anxiety and depression. This benefit has been observed following just 10 short minutes of exercise!1 This means you don’t have to join a gym or even try to create a new habit, a simple 10 minute walk outside can provide these benefits.

 

#2: Promotes growth of new brain cells and reduced brain aging

Studies have identified that 30 minutes of exercise can cause an immediate effect on focus and concentration. This effect can last up to 2 hours following exercise. Reaction times were also studied at this time and were shown to improve more than after a cup of coffee.1

Exercise has a direct correlating with improving brain health. When exercise is performed, it increases the amount of available brain chemicals that help to encourage new connections within the brain.2 These chemicals also have been shown to improve quality of sleep and reduce stress, which both also have a correlation with focus.1

While this indicates an obvious importance with initiating an exercise routine, this should be done with clearance from your physician and done correctly. Seeking the advice of an exercise and healthcare professional can be a helpful way to determine ways exercise can fit into your day to day routine. A personal trainer or group fitness coach can help with appropriateness of exercise, as well as motivation with exercise. If you find yourself noticing aches or pains with exercise or need helping getting started, contact your local Athletico physical therapist. While muscle soreness can be normal when starting a new exercise program, pain is not. Our Athletico team will assess your pain and provide recommendations for a treatment plan.

 

1. Suzuki, W. (2021, October 22). A neuroscientist shares the 4 brain-changing benefits of exercise-and how much she does every week. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/22/neuroscientist-shares-the-brain-health-benefits-of-exercise-and-how-much-she-does-a-week.html

2. Tips to improve concentration. Harvard Health. (2020, October 1). https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/tips-to-improve-concentration

3. Sheppard, S. (2023, May 19). How dopamine influences your mental health. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-dopamine-5185621

4. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Anxiety. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/