The benefits of staying active and exercising at every stage of life are universally known. However, a growing body of research points to specific benefits for children and adolescents who struggle with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In the Wake of COVID-19
It’s no secret that levels of physical fitness among young people have fallen in recent years. The reasons for the decline may be varied, but there is little dispute that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated what was already a steadily growing problem.Mercy Medical Center Pediatrician Dr. Emily Wisniewski, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has noticed this trend in her work with children.
The Positive Effect of Exercise
For children, since this shift toward a more sedentary lifestyle is taking place during a stage of life during which habits are being formed and a foundation is being laid for future health, the negative effects are potentially far-reaching. For young people living with ADHD, getting enough physical activity may be even more important and the effects of a sedentary lifestyle even more acute.“In a similar way [to medication], exercise might compensate for dysregulated catecholamine levels in ADHD and thereby improve cognitive and behavioral functioning,” the review reads.
“Physical exercise has a major contribution owing to significant improvement in anxiety and depression, aggressive behaviors, thought and social problems among children suffering from ADHD,“ study author Yu Zang concluded. ”Therefore, physical exercise should be incorporated in the daily life of children with ADHD.”
The study also stated: “Depression is a major problem in children with ADHD. Scientific reports have shown pharmacological drugs which are used for the treatment of ADHD to further exacerbate depression in these subjects ... Therefore, improving depression through physical exercise by these children with ADHD will result in far less use of pharmacological drugs, thus sparing these children from adverse drug events.”
Dr. Wisniewski added: “Those with ADHD are at increased risk for depression and anxiety at baseline. Physical activity ... can increase the mental health well-being of those children with ADHD. It can also be helpful for these kiddos who are at baseline more impulsive and energetic to have a way to help release some of their energy and fuel it into an activity. Physical activity can also be a way for kiddos with ADHD to make connections and friends with other children, which can be something which may be difficult for them. [It] can bring kids together and allow them to have something in common to fuel friendship.”
Specific questions remain about what types of exercise may be best for young people living with ADHD, as well as what the optimal frequency may be. Nonetheless, these studies encourage physical activity as a helpful, low-risk tool that is often neglected among today’s youth—and especially for those living with ADHD.
