Learning A New Sport To Help Our Studying

While it’s understandable that students prioritize homework and study time as they pursue their highest academic goals, too much of one thing can ultimately bring diminished returns. That is even true of studying.

Knowing what we do about the neurological benefits of exercise and sports, it’s important for non-athletic studiers to find time for sports. But students can go one step further than scheduling time for physical activities they already enjoy: they can decide, amidst a hectic academic schedule, to learn a new sport. No time, we hear kids say? Well, it turns out that learning a new sport may reduce the time students need to spend on studying.

There is now considerable evidence to suggest that exercising our body while also stimulating our learning faculties is a highly effective way to refresh and prime our brains for the academic learning that comes later.

Our brains are stimulated in more dynamic ways when we take on physical tasks that are alien to us, as opposed to seeking out activities we’ve more or less mastered. If you play soccer, look for something completely different- maybe tennis, or martial arts. If you lift weights, maybe it’s time to do aerobics or dance classes.

Waking up our bodies with new experiences will also awaken our mental faculties, making us better studiers who get more done in less time.