Get Moving For ADHD

Implementing a regular exercise routine may help decrease symptoms of ADHD

We’ve all heard how exercise is important for overall health and wellbeing. Regular exercise is known to reduce stress, decrease the risk of disease, and improve your quality of life.

Did you know regular exercise has also been shown to improve symptoms associated with ADHD?

John Ratey, MD, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School had this to say:

“For a very small handful of people with attention deficit disorder, it may actually be a replacement for stimulants, but, for most, it’s complementary — something they should absolutely do, along with taking meds, to help increase attention and improve mood.”

This means you have the ability to positively affect your mood and attention without the added co-pay of a doctor’s visit.

But Nikki, I hate exercising! (I don’t love it either!)

Exercising doesn’t have to mean running a marathon or lifting heavy things at the gym. There are plenty of ways to get up and get moving every day— including some you may not have considered.

We all know starting can be the hardest part, so here are a few ideas to help you get started:

• Discover your inner child at your local playground

• Hiking

• Interactive video games (Wii U, Xbox Kinect, VR (virtual reality), etc.)

• Turn on your favorite playlist and dance

• Play “The Floor Is Lava” and move through each room of your house

• Power walk through your errands

• Help a friend move

Finding different ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine is only limited by your imagination.

Get moving!

Thanks for your time and attention.

-Nikki