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Mental health and physical well-being have always gone together. While some humans give more importance to physical well-being, both mind and body are deeply interlinked, influencing one another throughout various bodily functions. The brain is basically the boss of the body, monitoring and commanding various physiological functions, either by sending a message via nerves or by releasing a hormone or enzyme for the same.
The special connection between brain and body becomes particularly evident in times of fight or flight, stress, or joy. When your child is under stress, their body releases cortisol (the stress hormone) to deal with the situation without succumbing to it. When they are happy, their brain releases mood-boosting endorphins and oxytocin to feel pleasure.
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And when they are in a risky or fight-or-flight situation, your kid’s brain is alert and ready to release adrenaline to prepare the body. Such simple yet effective impacts of the mind on the body are abundant in life, but the reverse also holds true. When your kid is sick, their mood is low and focus is sluggish, while physical exercise causes the release of happy endorphins. Therefore, the mind and body connection are evident. Now, we are going to further explore how physical strength supports cognitive development.
Ways In Which Physical Strength Supports Cognitive Development
1. Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful tool to offer respite to a frantic and busy mind. Since sitting with crossed legs, or padmasana, specifically, aligns all your kid’s chakras and improves blood, circulation, focus, and breathing, it is the ideal physical posture for meditation. It can be difficult to get your kids into meditation at the very beginning but do not give up. Soon, you will see their focus, awareness, and coordination improve and their minds bloom.
2. Mindfulness
Meditation helps inculcate mindfulness too but requires a little guidance from you. Mindfulness refers to the act of living in the present moment and experiencing every bit of it with gratitude and awareness. Practicing mindfulness while eating, meditating, or during any physical exercise tremendously improves your child’s cognition, attention, and memory.
3. Regular Physical Movement
Regular physical movement refers to any kind of exercise that simply gets your kid’s body moving and exercising. It can be Zumba, dancing, gulley cricket, or proper tennis coaching. It can also be as simple as going for a walk or doing yoga at home. But 30 to 60 minutes of physical exercise is necessary at least 3 to 5 times a week for optimal physical and mental health. Since exercising releases mood-enhancing endorphins, it also reduces stress, anxiety, and aggression in kids. Therefore, regular physical movement not only builds physical strength and stamina but also contributes to stable mental health and improved focus.
4. Adequate Nourishment
Adequate nourishment is a must for every kid. And that cannot be sourced from packaged or fast foods, as they are highly nutrition deficit, serving only to fill stomachs and satiate tastebuds. Instead, choose a diet rich in whole foods for kids, comprising whole grains, lean meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Health professionals advise filling at least half your kid’s plate with fruits and veggies, with the other half being shared by carbs and proteins. As for fats, cut off trans fats and feed your kids fatty fish, legumes, and certain dairy products like ricotta cheese and yogurt, to ensure their healthy fat levels are intact. When your kids have adequate nourishment in their diet, their cognitive and memory function, problem-solving skills, and concentration are greatly enhanced.
5. Sound Sleep
Sleep is the only time when your kid’s mind is under minimal pressure and gets some rest. Therefore, it is essential to recharge their brain by letting your children get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day. Younger children should also maintain extra nap times for ideal energy levels and proper cognitive development. Since adequate rest and sleep are also necessary for recovery from exercise and exam stress, it is one of the few rare instances when their mind and body both get to recharge at the same time.
6. Balance And Coordination
Physical exercise and activities are necessary for improving balance and coordination in kids. Till a ball is thrown at your kid, they can never sit and calculate the depth and speed of it. Also, hand-eye coordination is possible only through exercise and sports, which also develop problem-solving ability and resilience in children.
Conclusion
The mind and body connection is not a new phenomenon. It has existed since time immemorial. But since the recent wave of digitalization has distanced our minds and fingers, bringing a screen in between, mindful, diligent practice is required to reap its health benefits again. Therefore, start exploring the mind-body connection with your kids today and see how physical strength and skills support healthy cognitive development in your children.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
