Health and Wellness: Why you
Should Exercise Regularly in Law School
“Keeping physically fit is
essential for keeping mentally fit”
This short post will be the first of a series titled Health and
Wellness. In this series, I will detail the effects of exercise—in this post
and others—nutrition, relaxation techniques like meditation, and anything else
that can help you become a more effective law student.
I know, it’s pretty obvious, exercise is good for you. We all know
this. But for many in law school, exercise is a luxury for which we don’t have
time. Unless you have an established habit of exercising prior to law school, it’s
tough to gain the motivation and harness the willpower to exercise regularly.
Many people let their exercise routines fall to the wayside and suffer the
consequences. But what are the consequences? To most, it is just gaining some
weight and losing out on the most commonly thrown around term associated with
exercising—endorphins. Many people reason: Ok, fine, I can gain a little extra
weight in law school; I can sacrifice being in great shape for a few years
while I obtain my degree. While this is true, there is so much more to gain from exercise than merely looking
aesthetically pleasing. This article will highlight some of those benefits.
The most compelling justification (sorry for the Con law terminology)
for engaging in frequent exercise is that it releases more insulin-like growth
factor 1 (IGF-1). This natural
growth hormone goes into your brain and stimulates brain-derived neurotropic
factor, “which is like super fertilizer for your brain.” These two chemicals
essentially allow your brain to make new brain cells—neurogenesis—and improve
connections between existing brain cells—neuroplasticity. The result: improved cognitive
performance, enhanced memory, slowed or stopped mental decline associated with
aging, and the prevention of dementia. In other words, exercise effectively
rewires your brain, allowing it run faster, smoother, and more efficiently.
Another benefit of exercise is seen when focusing in on the
neurotransmitters—brain chemicals that send information throughout your body—in
your brain. Exercise affects these neurotransmitters by increasing your levels
of dopamine (which enhances your ability to focus) and serotonin (which helps
calm you down). This has led Dr. Mark Hyman, in his book the Ultramind Solution, to proclaim that “[e]xercise can
give you the same neurotransmitter and mental benefits as Ritalin and Zyprexa
without the risk of side effects.” He relies on studies that found exercise
beats or equals Prozac or psychotherapy in working as an effective
antidepressant. Other researches have similarly found that exercise is one of
the best ways for lifting mild depression because it changes the physiological
state a negative or depressive mood might evoke; you move from a low-arousal
depressive state, into a high arousal state.
And as you may know, depression runs rampant in law school, with many students
feeling depressed at one time or another.
Additionally, exercise can positively affect your hormones by
correcting and preventing insulin resistance.
Imbalances in blood sugar and insulin can be a source of brain again, but
exercise helps halt this aging process. Exercise can also boost testosterone,
which improves mood, memory, motivation, and overall cognitive function.
In sum, regular exercise can improve your memory, mood, and overall
brain function through a variety of ways. Whether it be increasing the levels
of neurotransmitters in your brain, or stimulating the production of hormones
like IGF-1 and testosterone, you can be sure to enhance the level of your
cognitive development and performance by sticking to a regular exercise
routine.
No,
this does not mean you need to start a 6-day anerobic exercise split, working
out a different body part everyday at your local Gold’s gym. In fact, Dr.
Hyman, as part of his six-week program in living a healthier life, recommends
you simply walk vigorously for thirty minutes every day. That’s it! No
treadmill, no sweaty gyms, no daunting exercise machines and dumbbells. Just a
good pair of walking shoes and hopefully some nice weather.
If you want more information about the assertions relied upon in this article, you can find Dr. Hyman's book here:
Disclaimer: I am an amazon affiliate and will receive a commission if you decide to purchase this book.
Lastly, if you enjoyed this article, please comment below and tell me what
you liked about it. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my email list if you
want updates for each new post.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York:
Bantam Books.
