5 Reasons to Exercise During Test Prep

We get it – it can be really, really difficult to find time in your schedule for exercise when you’ve just had to move all kinds of commitments around to accommodate test prep. But exercise can play a vital role in keeping your mind sharp — even if a short, twenty-minute session is all you can give in a 24-hour day. Even when you’re in the trenches of the library, make sure to find some time to hit the gym. Why should you build exercise into your test prep schedule?

1. Correlation between fitness and test scores

Scientists have found that a positive relationship exists between kids who are fit and their test scores. Research demonstrates that fit kids have more activity in the prefrontal cortex of their brains, which helps with executive brain functioning and other brain processes.

2. Improved concentration and attention

Exercise helps stimulate the hormone epinephrine, which in turn helps heighten awareness and improves concentration and attention. There’s a reason why so many education experts recommend recess for kids, and it’s not just because recess gets kids to run off steam – physical activity can help students focus!

3. Reduced stress

We all know that studying for a major test that can have an impact on your future education and career is, in a word, stressful! Exercise releases endorphins, or “happy hormones,” into your body. Endorphins help diminish the physical toll that stress can take.

4. Strengthened immune response

When you exercise, you strengthen your immune system, and it becomes better able to attack harmful bacteria that can make you sick. No one wants to take two weeks out of their study schedule to recover from the flu or a bad cold!

5. Better sleep

If you can remember the last time you had a bad night’s sleep, you probably recall that the next day felt sluggish and foggy. Experts claim that exercise can help you sleep more soundly and for longer periods of time, thus boosting your alertness and focus during the day. Of course, a study session that you’re fully awake for will be much more effective than one where you’re trying to catch up on sleep from the night before! Just make sure you get your exercise in at least three hours before bed; otherwise, you may find it more difficult to get sleep.

 


About the Author:

Catherine Blogger PhotoCatherine supports Magoosh’s future grad school students by unlocking tricks of the test prep and application trade. Catherine spends her free time checking out local farmer’s markets, reading food and lifestyle blogs, and watching Bravo. She is forever in search of the best Mexican and Italian food in any given city.

 
 

Author

  • Catherine

    Catherine supports Magoosh’s future grad school students by unlocking tricks of the test prep and application trade. Catherine spends her free time checking out local farmer’s markets, reading food and lifestyle blogs, and watching Bravo. She is forever in search of the best Mexican and Italian food in any given city.

, , , , , ,

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Last Minute SAT Tips | Magoosh High School Blog - April 8, 2016

    […] down that book (or computer) and go for a run! Exercise during this week brings a whole bevy of benefits specific to your SAT needs. You can even incorporate some light-intensity exercise […]

  2. Magoosh – 8 Ways to Be a Successful Graduate Student - May 6, 2016

    […] sick or tired, you won’t be able to commit much energy to your graduate studies. Eat right. Exercise. Get enough sleep. […]

  3. 10 Ways to Improve SAT Score - Magoosh High School Blog - June 1, 2016

    […] Exercise. Eat healthy. Reduce stress. Get enough sleep. These are all things that have proven correlations with increased test scores and improved academics and yet, they’re things that a lot of students seem to sacrifice in favor of more studying. Also, remember to not beat yourself up if you don’t exactly reach your target score; any noticeable improvement is worth celebrating because YOU made it happen. If you ever find that your mental and physical health is suffering because of trying to improve your SAT scores, take a step back and take care of yourself. Really, your SAT scores will thank you for it in the end. […]

  4. Self-Care for Nursing Students - Magoosh NCLEX-RN Blog | Magoosh NCLEX-RN Blog - October 24, 2016

    […] Exercise does a body good.  I’m not suggesting that you have to take up marathon training here (feel free if you want to!) but make some time to move your body.  This can be any activity you enjoy. Walking, running, biking, yoga, or maybe just turning up the music and dancing in your living room. It’s totally up to you.  Aim for 30 minutes of physical time every day. Walking away from the books and getting your blood flowing can help you focus better in the long run. […]


Magoosh blog comment policy: To create the best experience for our readers, we will only approve comments that are relevant to the article, general enough to be helpful to other students, concise, and well-written! 😄 Due to the high volume of comments across all of our blogs, we cannot promise that all comments will receive responses from our instructors.

We highly encourage students to help each other out and respond to other students' comments if you can!

If you are a Premium Magoosh student and would like more personalized service from our instructors, you can use the Help tab on the Magoosh dashboard. Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things culture and career at Magoosh.