How exercise can improve your ADHD

How much would you pay for a pill that improved your:

• Mood

• Energy Levels

• Focus and attention

• Long term memory

Considering that ADHD drug industry is valued at 20.90 billion in 2024, we can probably guess that this drug would be worth a lot.

The good news is that this drug exists. The bad news is that it doesn’t come in a pill.

This drug is exercise.

Unfortunately most people don’t get enough physical activity each day to reap the benefits.

Hopefully after reading this, you’ll be more motivated to make exercise a part of your day.

We’ll do a deep dive into how exercise changes your brain (especially those with ADHD), the recommended amount of exercise per week and tips to make this a consistent habit.

Let’s dive in!

Exercise changes your brain

You might be thinking that you need to workout for a really long time to start seeing changes in your brain.

In reality, we see immediate benefits following exercise that lasts for hours.

A single workout increases levels of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline which will increase mood right after your workout. These neurotransmitters also help with your ability to focus and shift your attention.

People with ADHD typically have lower of dopamine. Think of dopamine as your motivation molecule. It’s responsible for pursuing goals and pleasure.

When your brain is low on dopamine, not only do you feel less motivated, but you get distracted easily because your brain is continually searching for pleasure/dopamine.

ADHD medication boosts your level of dopamine which is why it helps you feel more motivated and helps you focus at the task at hand.

So if you’re hesitant about taking medication, trying getting some physical activity in.

Over the long term we see changes to our prefrontal cortex and our hippocampus. Our prefrontal cortex is responsible for long term planning while our hippocampus is responsible for long term memory.

These benefits tend to occur when doing aerobic activity aka cardio. I found this to be true for myself too.

Recently I’ve been adding running into my routine and I notice a night and day difference in how I feel after a run vs. resistance training.

Resistance training is still good for your health but doing aerobic exercise is very important for cognitive performance.

How much exercise do you need?

Studies have shown that you only need to 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week.

You don’t even have to workout intensely. You just need to get your heart rate up. I like to make sure my heart rate is up while also being able to have a conversation during my workout.

If I can’t talk than I know I’m going too hard and need to slow things down.

My preferred form of aerobic exercise is running but you can also do swimming, cycling, stair master or join classes that get you moving.

My recommendation is to pick something you enjoy and that you know you can stick to over the long run.

How to build an exercise habit

Hopefully I’ve convinced you why aerobic exercise is one of the most important things that you can do.

However, people with ADHD tend to have a harder time to pick up and maintain habits. So here are some tips to get your started.

If 30-40 minutes sounds like a lot then start with 10 minutes of exercise and slowly work your way up.

As you start noticing the improvements to your physical and mental performance, you’ll be addicted to the progress. Start small and work your way up.

The second tip is to find someone to workout with. An accountability partner will increase the likelihood of you showing up consistently.

I’ve also found that I have stronger bonds with people I can exercise with. You’re both pushing each other to grow.

If you like to workout in the mornings like I do, then pack all your clothes the night before.

I have my running shoes in my gym bag and I have my workout clothes laid out in my closet so I can easily grab it and change when I first wake up.

Do whatever you can to reduce friction.

This is something I wish I knew much earlier. I’ve neglected doing cardio for many years. But not only does the science proves it, I’ve experienced these benefits myself.

The best time to start was 5 years ago, the second best time to start is now.

I hope you found this helpful, I’ll see you all next Saturday.

Cheers,

Ashvin