TKG LEARN: Exercise Is ADHD Medication (Whole Child Resource)

At TKG, we create opportunities for physical stimulation and release that can help students to feel regulated and ready to take on learning explorations. Each classroom offers unique opportunities to help students listen to and know their bodies; coupled with Field Day, Crossfit-inspired P.E. and community dance parties, we encourage the flow of oxytocin to achieve relaxed alertness.

Mental exercises to build (or rebuild) attention span have shown promise recently as adjuncts or alternatives to amphetamines in addressing symptoms common to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Building cognitive control, to be better able to focus on just one thing, or single-task, might involve regular practice with a specialized video game that reinforces “top-down” cognitive modulation, as was the case in a popular paper in Nature last year. Cool but still notional. More insipid but also more clearly critical to addressing what’s being called the ADHD epidemic is plain old physical activity.

Read more about the report focusing on research that found kids who took part in a regular physical activity program showed important enhancement of cognitive performance and brain function, @TheAtlantic.

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