Exercise, Brain Health, and Memory: Can Physical Activity Improve Student Performance?

With the start of the school year, students and parents begin searching for the best study methods, memory techniques, and ways to improve focus and academic achievement.

But there is one important factor that may not get the same attention: physical activity.

Exercise does not only train the muscles; it is also closely linked to brain health and cognitive abilities, including attention, memory, and executive functions that we use for planning, organizing time, and making decisions.

What Do Recent Studies Say?

One of the strongest pieces of recent evidence in this field is a comprehensive review published in 2025, which included approximately 258,000 participants.

The findings showed that exercise was associated with significant improvements in general cognition, memory, and executive functions, with improvements in memory and executive functions being more pronounced in children and adolescents compared with adults and older adults.

This does not mean that exercise will make a student remember everything easily, but it suggests that physical activity can be an important part of the environment that helps the brain learn and function efficiently.

How Can Exercise Affect the Brain?

There are several possible mechanisms that may explain the relationship between physical activity and brain health.

These include improved blood flow and vascular function, in addition to the effect of physical activity on neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to adapt and form and strengthen connections between nerve cells.

One of the substances receiving significant attention from researchers is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein associated with the survival and growth of nerve cells and processes related to learning and memory.

Studies have shown that certain types of physical activity can influence BDNF levels.

However, the response varies depending on the type, intensity, and duration of exercise, as well as the person's age, and the details of the relationship between BDNF and cognitive performance are still under investigation.

Does Exercise Help with Focus?

Executive functions include a range of important mental abilities for students, such as attention control, task organization, mental flexibility, and resistance to distraction.

Recent evidence suggests that physical activity can support these abilities, particularly in children and adolescents.

Therefore, exercise should not be viewed as time taken away from studying, but rather as part of the lifestyle a student needs alongside good sleep, a balanced diet, and organized study time.

The Impact on Memory

Yes, studies indicate an improvement in memory with physical activity, but it is important to put this finding into the right context.

Exercise is not a substitute for studying, and there is no magic workout that will make information stick in the memory instantly.

However, maintaining regular physical activity may support brain functions involved in learning and memory, and therefore it can be part of a student's daily routine rather than merely an occasional activity.

Stress and Academic Pressure

The school year is not only about books and exams; it can also bring psychological pressure, anxiety, and stress.

Regular physical activity is associated with improved mental health and well-being, and it can help support mood and reduce some of the negative effects of stress.

Here, the broader value of exercise becomes clear: it does not only support academic performance directly, but also promotes physical, brain, and mental health.

Does the Student Need to Go to the Gym?

Not necessarily. Walking, running, cycling, swimming, team sports, resistance training, and active games are all forms of physical activity.

The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years achieve an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, with most of it being aerobic activity, along with muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days per week.

The activity does not have to be perfect to be beneficial. According to the recommendations, some activity is better than none at all.

Prolonged periods of sitting and sedentary behavior should also be reduced, particularly recreational screen time.

How Can Exercise Be Integrated with Studying?

The idea is not for the student to stop studying for hours to exercise, but rather to make movement a natural part of the day, including during breaks between study sessions and throughout daily routines.

The activity can be simple: walking for a while, taking the stairs, playing, or practicing a sport the student enjoys.

The most important thing is not to let the student's entire day turn into hours of sitting in front of books or screens.

The Brain Is Not Separate from the Body

Regular physical activity does not make a student a genius overnight, but it is associated with brain health and supports important aspects of cognitive function, including memory, attention, and executive functions.

With the start of the school year, the priority should not be studying alone, but rather a complete lifestyle that includes adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, physical activity, and reducing prolonged sitting.

Finally… A Message to Parents

Do not consider exercise a waste of time, and do not limit it to the summer vacation.

Exercise is not time taken away from studying; rather, it is part of a lifestyle that supports the health of the body and brain and may help students learn and function more effectively.