Time for a universal “exercise prescription” for kids and adults to boost cognition and mental health?

Welcome to a new edition of SharpBrains e‑newsletter, featuring this time a range of brain research findings, tools and controversies plus some brain teasers to challenge your (and our) working memory. #1. Major evidence review supports an “exercise prescription” for most adults to boost mental health “Higher intensity physical activity was associated with greater improvements” and “Effectiveness of physical activity interventions diminished with longer duration interventions.” The sweet spot was four or five half-hour effortful sessions per week. Are you hitting it? #2. (Separate) Evidence review: Physical exercise helps boost attention, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control in children and adolescents with ADHD Not surprising but important findings. Next to research: the type, intensity, and duration that may help the most. #3. Reading for pleasure during childhood may lead to higher brain/ cognitive development and mental well-being during adolescence Crucially, “… reading for pleasure in early childhood was linked with better scores on comprehensive cognition assessments and better educational attainment in young adolescence. It was also associated with fewer mental health problems and less time spent on electronic devices … can be beneficial regardless of socioeconomic status. It may also be helpful regardless of the children’s initial intelligence level.” — Long Live Books and Reading (and, yes, Exercise)! #4. ...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Attention & ADD/ADHD Brain Teasers Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning Peak Performance SharpBrains Monthly eNewsletter Technology & Innovation AirPods Apple boost mental health brain teasers for adults brain-activity Source Type: blogs