Spark! How Exercise Affects The Brain

by Dr John J. Ratey

This is a book of massive significance to people promoting physical activity to children in schools.  And explaining its value to sceptical parents and colleagues.  Especially in very academic schools where a culture prevails that time away from books and lessons is wasted, and impedes chances of top grades.

This is a succinct summary of the science that proves the value - at a cellular level - of taking exercise. The industry of education has always promoted its anecdotal conviction that exercise has a legacy of wellbeing that lasts beyond the playing field.  This is the science that demonstrates it.

Inevitably, this involves explaining how the brain works, and how exercise impacts upon it.  Occasionally the activity of neurotransmitters can get confusing to the layman.  But in the main, the inevitable technical aspects are portrayed sufficiently simply for a working understanding to develop.  An end of chapter summary might have helped further.

Various chapters deal with different impacts.  An early stage of the book establishes how exercise exploits neuroplasticity, and makes the brain adapt to improve memory, concentration and even creativity. It also explains how physical activity increases synaptic activity, making stronger neural connections and improving blood flow to the brain.

Increased physical fitness is also correlated with improved scores on standardised academic tests, by up to 20%. Significantly for schools, studies also show that taking time out of the classroom and replacing it with physical activity improves academic performance, rather than harming it. 

Positive impacts are not confined to learning. The influence of exercise on the HPA axis, and reducing cortisol production means that it assists in reducing stress and anxiety, as well as improving Emotional Intelligence and impulse control.  Significantly for the more elderly, it reduces the likelihood of dementia.

In all, this is pretty compelling science that all children, teachers and parents should be aware of.  Counterintuitively for schools, time out of the classroom is shown to improve learning, not impede it.  That's not opinion - it's science