I understand completely that you may be stressed out with studying for your exams this year, but the importance of the continuation of any sport or exercise you do cannot be emphasized enough. Keeping your mind and body healthy before exams is hugely vital in order to do well, and you should continue or begin any physical exercise and outdoor activities you may undertake, in order to achieve your best possible results.

Exercise boosts exam results

Those who take part in a sport at least three times a week were more likely to get good scores in examinations, according to extensive research. I believe there is a clear connection between sporting activity and academic success. Research that’s going into brain activity at the moment suggests the reason may be that in those kids who are active, more oxygen gets to the brain. The brain is then better equipped to take more in and be receptive to new things.

Researchers found that 79 per cent of boys who scored above-average marks in national English tests also exercised at least three times a week. So did 58 per cent of those who reached the standard expected of them. Sporting activity was much less common among those who fell short. Just 38 per cent of this group exercised three times each week.

The pattern was similar in maths – 64 per cent of boys with above-average test scores regularly played sport. But only 42 per cent of those who failed to reach the expected standard did so.

These stats prove that those who exercise regularly will most likely achieve higher grades than those who do not, it is as simple as that.

Start With a Small Goal

So you can’t run a mile right now. No sweat. You don’t even have to make running your goal. Studies show that just 20 minutes of walking before a test improved students’ scores – whether or not they were fit when they started. Start exercise slowly, and go with what you know.

If you can walk for 10 minutes, begin by going for a 10-minute walk every day. If you can walk longer than that, great. Go for it! Be truthful with yourself about what you can do. A short-term goal that’s easy to measure will keep you motivated to do it. With each success, you’ll build your confidence, too.

Exercise Before School if You Can

Hitting the gym or the treadmill before class can do wonders for your grades. A high school in Naperville, IL, scheduled first-period PE classes for everyone and saw math scores improve by 20% and reading scores go up, too.

Can’t do mornings? Pick another time and stick with it. A regular time set aside for exercise will make you more likely to follow through on your plan. And you don’t have to worry about when you’ll fit it in. When you make it a habit, you can start to see and feel the benefits — even if you don’t love it every single day. It can go from being something you dread to something you look forward to.

Stick With It

Once you’ve started working out, the next step for success is to believe that you can get better. It might seem like the first few minutes of exercise are the hardest. Some people find that it takes 10 minutes before they stop feeling like they’re dragging themselves through it. But you’ll hit a “stride,” a place where you’re feeling good and moving more easily.

You’ll probably discover that, as you start moving, you’ll want to move more. To keep it up, make it a goal to add just a few more minutes of exercise each week. That way you’ll be sure to make it past the beginning — when it’s tough — and find your stride. Aim to be active for at least 1 hour a day. And don’t forget: To boost your brain power to its max, get 8-10 hours of sleep a night, and start your day with a healthy breakfast. You must just stick with your exercise throughout your exam year.

Conclusion

While many students in exam years often sacrifice playing sports in order to hit the books, those who continue to participate in sports clearly tend to get better exam results. As you prepare to sit your Junior Cert exams very soon, a new report from the ESRI has found that students who participate in sports in the final years of second-level are “significantly and substantially” more likely to continue their formal education after they leave school.

Overall, the stats are there to show you how important it is to continue your exercise regularly during your exam year and up to your exams. Maybe you want to give it a break in the days before the exams in order to get in more study, and that is okay, but you must not be worried that you are missing time studying while you exercise, as you are actually improving your chances of doing well in the exams.