May 2010 Newsletter
April 29, 2010
Using Exercise to Supplement ADHD Treatment
By Stephen H. Hill, Ph.D.
I enjoyed presenting at last week’s Idaho PTA Conference and was excited to highlight new research on exercise and ADHD. The presentation titled “Recognizing and Conquering ADHD” reviewed two studies in particular, both of which suggest that exercise generally, as well as organized sports activities specifically, may complement an array of tools for treating ADHD. Even those taking a stimulant medication may find significant improvement if adding any combination of exercise, behavioral strategies or counseling to add external accountability and creativity.
In the first study1, children age 6-14 with an accurate ADHD diagnosis were found to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. While we can’t be sure exactly what is the magic ingredient about an organized sport—the exercise itself, having a structured and supervised social activity, or just creating a predictable weekly schedule—the end results were robust and encouraging.
A second study2 examined just why exercise may benefit those with ADHD. Ratey and Hagerman found that two neurotransmitters that can be low for those with ADHD, dopamine and norepinephrine, increase with exercise. They also found that over time, exercise even causes growth in brain cell receptors and the cellular production system for neurotransmitters. Medicines for ADHD often target improved levels of these same chemicals in the brain.
With this research in mind, here are some practical tips for using exercise for yourself or your children if you have ADHD:
Effective exercise isn’t limited to doing 30+ minutes of intense aerobic activity; even brief movement that really gets the blood flowing may bring helpful results.
Significant benefits in concentration, subjective energy, procrastination, restlessness, etc. may be seen after elevating the heart rate for as little as 10-15 minutes.
Consider scattering mini-breaks for exercise strategically throughout the day: before homework, before school in the morning, or even on a break during the school day itself to go up & down the stairs a few times before an important test or assignment.
1 Kiluk, Weden, & Culotta (2009). Sports participation and anxiety in children with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12, 506
2 Ratey, John J. & Hagerman, Eric. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown & Co.