When we talk about the benefits of exercise, we usually focus on physical health. And when I asked a group of middle schoolers why movement is important, they had a similar response: it’s good for your body.

But neuroscientist  Dr. Wendy Suzuki argues that “exercise is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today.” 

Movement is often seen as a “break” from studying — and something we too often don’t have time to do. What if we instead reframed it as an essential study tool?

Here’s why.

1. Exercise Improves Focus

According to Suzuki’s research, a single workout can improve a student’s ability to focus on a task for up to two hours. As she told me in an interview, when kids “run around, their brains are getting a bubble bath of good neurochemicals, neurotransmitters, and endorphins. These help memory and mood. A simple burst of exercise helps students focus better — to filter out what they do and do not need to pay attention to in class.”

2. Exercise Enhances Cognition 

Exercise stimulates the growth of new neurons. It produces a chemical called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor), which acts…