THE PARENTING SERIES: MOVEMENT

Movement and exercise are essential for the physical, mental and emotional development of children. We all start off our journey of learning about the world through movement and interactions with the many objects and people of the world with our bodies, not our minds.

Movement allows us to figure out how our bodies and senses work but also how we can use our body to interact with the world. A lifestyle and childhood with limited movement leads to a limited and reduced understanding of our bodies, senses, the world and other people.

This is especially important when you consider that our bodies are constantly changing, growing and ageing. Movement allows us to calibrate ourselves to the changing internal and external world. It is not just essential for children, movement is essential for all people.

THE BENEFITS OF MOVEMENT

When we think of movement and exercise, we often only think of the physical biological changes/adaptations that occur with movement and exercise. Losing weight, putting on muscle, getting stronger, looking healthier and/or better cardiovascular health and endurance.

However, a range of other benefits are gained through movement and exercise:

- Improved Coordination: the ability to be able to holistically utilise different elements/parts of the body simultaneously effectively and efficiently.
- Improved Proprioception: the ability to sense the position, movement, and force of one's body in time and space without the use of eyesight.
- Improved Sleep Quality: regular exercise improves one's sleep quality and recovery.
- Increased Energy levels: regular exercise and movement improves one's cardiovascular health and endurance but also one's sleep and recovery, leading to increased energy levels.
- Improved Flexibility: regular exercise and movement allows one to improve their flexibility and thus improve and retain their mobility.
- Improved muscular, joint and bone strength and health: regular exercise and movement promotes the development, strengthening and growth of our muscles and bones.

All the aforementioned benefits and factors play a significant role during a child's developmental years. The benefits or the lack of these benefits can lead to a cascading chain reaction of positives or negatives in the case of one lacking exercise and movement.

THE PHYSICAL

THE COGNITIVE & EMOTIONAL

Speaking of cascading chain reactions of impacts, movement and exercise also lead to a wide range of cognitive and emotional benefits that are not generally known, on top of the physical benefits that it provides:

- Assists with Brain Development: movement and exercise are behaviours that promote and assist with the development of our cognitive skills/abilities, improved neuroplasticity and executive function. Whether that is memory, problem solving, information processing and etc.
- Exercise increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the health of brain cells and is crucial for learning.
- Improved Academic Outcomes/Performance: numerous studies have demonstrated that there is a correlational link between individuals who live more active lifestyles to have better academic outcomes/performance compared to their sedentary counterparts.
- Improved Emotional Regulation: regular movement and exercise can assist children with building their understanding and connection with their body, to be better at recognising and regulating their emotions. The release of endorphins during movement and exercise can also act as a natural mood booster.
- Improved Attention and Concentration: whether it is through the relase of endorphins and/or the improved discipline and mind-body connection that comes with movement and exercise, some studies have shown a correlational link between people who live an active lifestyle having better attention and concentration outcomes.
- Improved Self-Esteem and Confidence: getting better, feeling comfortable and improving our mind-body connection are some ways that we are improve our self-esteem and confidence.

So whether you are looking to improve yourself physical, cognitive and/or emotionally. Regular exercise and movement is a simple lifestyle hack that everyone can learn to adopt that will provide a diverse and immeasurable amount of benefits.

THE SOCIAL

Outside of these direct impacts and benefits are the indirect. We are social creatures but we are also creatures that have connected, interacted and played through touch, movement, sport and exercise.

It is through movement, exercise and physical touch that we are able to connect, communicate and/or learn to cooperative, play and interact with others and the world. Whether it is improving our social skills, making friends, creating teams/tribes to achieve an otherwise impossible objective, or finding a partner/mate, movement, exercise and physical touch are essential to being human.

Are you and your family moving and exercising enough?