Episode Details

Has exam season got you hitting the books instead of the gym? Study is important, but if you're not keeping up with your exercise, you might be missing out. It turns out that regular physical exercise can boost your memory, focus and reasoning skills. One study even found that Scottish teenagers who got 60 minutes of exercise a day scored a whole grade higher on national exams.

考试季是否让您只顾书本而不是去健身房？ 学习很重要，但如果你没有跟上锻炼的步伐，你可能会错过机会。 事实证明，定期的体育锻炼可以提高你的记忆力、注意力和推理能力。 一项研究甚至发现，每天锻炼 60 分钟的苏格兰青少年在全国考试中的成绩会高出整整一个等级。

Physical exercise has been linked to a number of positive changes inside our brains. Regular aerobic exercise appears to be linked with an enlarged hippocampus. That's the area of the brain linked to learning and memory. Other studies have suggested that exercise four hours after learning allows new information to be better integrated into our memories. Looking inside our brains, it seems that exercise triggers tiny bursts of electrical energy, known as 'brain ripples' which are thought to be connected to the process of storing and organising memories. Exercise could also lead to improved executive function. This is the part of our brain that's responsible for things including working memory and self-control. A recent study showed that students who carried out 10 minutes of moderate exercise showed improved cognitive performance afterwards.

体育锻炼与我们大脑内部的许多积极变化有关。 定期有氧运动似乎与增大的海马体有关。 这是大脑中与学习和记忆相关的区域。 其他研究表明，学习后四小时进行锻炼可以使新信息更好地融入我们的记忆中。 

Looking inside our brains, it seems that exercise triggers tiny bursts of electrical energy, known as 'brain ripples' which are thought to be connected to the process of storing and organising memories. 

锻炼还可以改善执行功能。 这是我们大脑中负责工作记忆和自我控制等事务的部分。 最近的一项研究表明，进行 10 分钟适度运动的学生随后的认知能力有所改善。

As well as the direct physical benefits of exercise on our brains, there are other associated advantages. Exercise leads to the release of endorphins. These chemicals help to alleviate the effects of stress and can improve our mood. Exam preparation can be both a cause of stress and something that's adversely affected by it. Exercise reduces your stress so that you can focus on your revision. Good sleep habits are also important for brain health and function. And this is another area where exercise helps out. Regular exercise has been shown to lead to better sleep and fewer episodes of insomnia. A study from the University of Texas also linked it to longer instances of deep sleep. When you're asleep, your body processes memories, so it's another way that exercise can take you to higher grades.

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