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What about exercise and ADHD?
The Michael Phelps Phenomenon
· Exercise is important for us all.
It is part of being
healthy and human. Exercise for the ADHD brain is essential. In fact
research shows that an hour of exercise
has a lasting effect on the brain for up to 3 hours. This effect is the same as taking RITALIN.
How profound!!
Michael Phelps the swimmer is ADHD and quite outspoken
. He exercises at least 6 hours a day… everyday. He stopped taking Ritalin when
he was 6. The extreme exercise has the same effect on the brain.
So what does that leave us with…
I guess we ought to encourage our ADHD children to get
moving!!
Our one son is naturally active and almost craves this
movement. He has to do something physical every day and this need is
insatiable. We have a gym membership and Squash is the order of the day. He
plays hockey and loves to be MOVING.
Sport like cricket is excruciatingly boring for him.
I think it is wise to not only encourage sport but
also to find out what sport suits.
Our other son is struggling to find a sporting
activity that fits him. We are rolling through them. His little issues are
related to the engaging in the activity struggle that ADHD brings AND sensory overload issues.
A good OT friend with an excellent knowledge of ADHD
and neurons was helping me think through activities.
Squash brings a confined space with little distraction
for the ADHD child and swimming is excellent because it allows the brain to ‘
switch off’ and just go. The repetitive motion through the water is extremely
healthy for brain activity and soothing for the senses.
Healthy perseverance is something we are trying to
help him with. So, yes he is not enjoying the activity A but we need to just go
to then of the term or season so that the brain also learns about perseverance
– good neurological connections and good God given habits.
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