How Exercise Makes you Smarter and a Better Student

Summary

This video emphasizes the importance of exercise not just for physical health, but also for improving cognitive function, discipline, and overall personal growth. Jay from MedSchoolInsiders explains how short-term benefits, like feeling better post-workout, are stronger motivators than long-term health. Exercise teaches you to embrace discomfort, which helps in academics and life. The video discusses research showing how regular exercise improves study habits, stress management, and discipline. Viewers are encouraged to challenge themselves physically to grow in multiple aspects of life, and to find a form of exercise they enjoy.

Takeaways

• 🏋️ Regular exercise is not only important for health but also improves your performance as a student.
• 🎯 Short-term benefits like feeling better after a workout are stronger motivators for exercise than long-term health benefits.
• 🔥 Exercise helps you learn to be comfortable with discomfort, which is a skill transferable to many areas of life.
• 🧠 Aerobic exercise enhances cognitive functions, especially executive functions, improving study habits and self-discipline.
• 📊 Studies show that even modest exercise programs reduce stress, improve regulatory habits, and decrease harmful behaviors like smoking.
• 💪 Discipline, like exercise, is a muscle that needs to be regularly trained and can positively affect your study routine.
• 🔑 Charles Duhigg calls exercise a 'keystone habit,' meaning it can lead to positive changes in multiple areas of your life.
• 🚴 You don’t need Olympic-level intensity to benefit from exercise—challenging yourself is what leads to growth.
• 🌟 Immediate rewards from exercise, like improved mood and energy, are more motivating than distant goals like weight loss or health.
• 🏞️ The speaker enjoys cycling, weight training, and other forms of exercise and encourages viewers to find a method that works for them.

Q & A

What are some health benefits of regular exercise mentioned in the script?

The script mentions several health benefits of regular exercise, including improved cardiovascular health, bone health, and reduced risk of diabetes.

Why is health alone not a compelling reason for most people to exercise?

The script explains that long-term health benefits are often not enough to motivate people to exercise. Instead, short-term benefits like feeling better during or immediately after a workout provide stronger motivation.

How does exercise help improve a person's performance in other aspects of life, including studies?

Exercise teaches people to be comfortable with discomfort, which is a valuable skill in many areas, including studies. It also enhances self-discipline and the ability to face challenges, which improves study habits and overall performance.

What is the significance of being comfortable with discomfort in exercise?

The script emphasizes that learning to embrace uncomfortable situations, such as physical discomfort during exercise, helps individuals develop resilience and apply this mindset to other life challenges.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with physical discomfort during exercise?

The speaker suggests using mindfulness during discomfort, observing the sensations curiously from a third-person perspective rather than letting them control your thoughts.

How does regular aerobic exercise affect cognitive functions?

According to the script, regular aerobic exercise enhances cognitive functions, particularly executive functions, which are crucial for tasks like planning, focusing, and managing time effectively.

What improvements did participants in a 2006 study experience after starting a modest exercise routine?

Participants who started exercising two to three times per week showed reduced stress, lower smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption, better spending and study habits, and improved regulatory behaviors.

What is a keystone habit, and why is exercise considered one?

A keystone habit is a habit that triggers positive changes in multiple areas of life. Exercise is considered a keystone habit because it improves self-discipline, which can lead to better habits in studying, eating, and other aspects of life.

Why do people with health or weight-loss goals tend to spend less time exercising, according to the script?

The script mentions that people who focus on long-term goals like weight loss or better health tend to spend less time exercising. In contrast, those motivated by immediate rewards like improved energy and mood exercise more regularly.

What advice does the speaker give for those struggling to start a regular exercise routine?

The speaker advises focusing on immediate rewards such as revitalized energy, improved mood, and reduced stress, which provide stronger motivation to maintain a regular exercise routine.