Does Exercise affect your UNISA results? - the link between physical fitness and academic success

Generally great academics are not great athletes. In fact, most probably lead rather sedentary lives. Yet, perhaps if great academics and students took their physical health and fitness as seriously as they take their studies they would be even greater academics and students. I have no proof of this and did not feel inclined to spend hours scouring the internet so that I could quote a research paper which supports my theories. Nevertheless I believe that much of what I have said and am about to say stands to reason.

Few would argue that the body, mind and soul (if you believe in a soul) are inseparably linked. The mind controls the body and the body influences the mind. Therefore a healthier and fitter body should produce a more active and responsive mind. These days everywhere you look people are complaining about stress. Health magazines and websites claim that mental stress is linked to alls sorts of physical ailments. Evolutionary theorists seem to believe that stress in itself is fine, even good. The problem is that our mechanism for dealing with stress has not changed in millennia but our life situations have.

In the past stress helped to keep us alive. A lion chasing prehistoric man or the attack of a rival clan were no doubt stressful situations. They responded to these in two instinctive ways: either they ran or fought back. They were either successful in escaping or fighting or they died. That was it. If they were successful in either fighting or running they would feel relief - not just mental but also physical. Now, it is more difficult to literally run or fight stress. You may feel stressed by traffic or an annoying person. Unfortunately, you cannot run or fight these causes of stress. Technology too can be stressful – who hasn't at some point or another cursed at or even struck a slow or unresponsive computer?

So what is the solution to these problems which cause a physical and emotional reaction yet can no longer be rectified by physical means ? ( fighting or running). I think that the answer is to fight or run as a habit and not in response to any particular situation. When I say fight or run I do not mean real fighting or running but rather any physical activity which produces the same physiological effects. These physical activities should bring about the same physical calmness experienced after successfully running from a lion or fighting off an attacking force. This calmness should create a peaceful state of mind in which academic creativity and focus is more easily accessible.

More on fitness and study to follow - later this week