Attention Deficient Disorder, or ADD, is a potentially devastating condition due to the fact that it can severely limit the ability of sufferers to learn basic skills needed in daily life such as reading, arithmetic, and even social skills.
This is a result of an inability to pay attention and focus on anything for a substantial amount of time.
The cause is believed by medical professionals to be lowered levels of dopamine in the brain. Since dopamine encourages the attention system’s ability to be consistent and regular, the theory is that a lack of it would do just the opposite.
Most commonly the condition is treated with stimulants that increase available dopamine in the brain, but research suggests that exercise can be used in addition to or in some cases in lieu of medication.
Exercise is believed to help with ADD in three specific ways. After reading more about how exercise helps those who suffer from ADD, sign up for an Exercise.com PRO plan to reap the benefits.
#1 – Attention and Focus
Exercise requires attention and focus, thus the adage “practice makes perfect” applies here as it does anywhere else in life.
By triggering the executive functions of sequencing, prioritizing, and memorizing, the act of exercise offers excellent practice in areas where those with ADD are often lacking.
#2 – Physically
Physically, the act of exercising could increase the levels of dopamine in the brain, thus having the same general effect as the most common medications.
The effects can possibly last for up to several hours, but often it is still necessary to take medication to keep dopamine levels where they need to be.
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#3 – Mentally
Mental activity is believed to increase brain mass, and exercise that requires extreme mental focus is considered to do the same.
Thus exercise that requires some of the above-mentioned executive functions, such as memorizing and sequencing, can have double the effect of increasing dopamine levels and brain mass. Good examples of this include martial arts and dancing.
While research is ongoing, it is becoming increasingly obvious that there is something to the initial results. Exercise is obviously good for your body, but it is good for your brain as well.
It forces the brain to practice functions that it may have trouble with as a result of ADD, and it increases the chemical needed to perform those functions better.
For an exercise program that works for you, sign up for a PRO plan today.