Movement Matters

The Benefits of Physical Activity

We know physical activity is good for us. It makes us healthier in many ways, positively impacting every system of our body. Physical activity gives us stronger muscles, a more efficient cardiovascular system, keeps our digestive system in top working order, strengthens our immune system, sharpens our mental focus and pumps happy hormones into our blood stream. When we move our bodies in ways that challenge the status quo, our bodies respond by creating more blood vessels, new nerve cells and strengthening nerve cell communication. And these are just a few of the amazing benefits of staying active. Moderate to vigorous exercise increases the number of special organelles in our cells called mitochondria that perform the essential role of managing the energy production needed for everything our brain and body do. The bottom line? We have to move to be healthy in mind, body and spirit.

More recent research has focused on how movement affects brain function; specifically attention, memory and problem solving, components of Executive Function. There is ample research showing that movement improves executive function and staves off mental decline as we age. Movement is even used to slow the effects of and reduce risk for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Go to any community center or YMCA and you will find special movement classes, like Tai Chi, for older adults. Gym memberships and classes are often subsidized because insurance costs go down when people are more physically active.

The research is clear. Physical movement is a powerful catalyst for human health, and specifically for brain function. If physical activity is such a magic elixir, why do we wait until retirement age to prioritize it? Knowing what we know about how the brain and body develop, why isn’t there a greater focus during the most formative window of brain development, during the first three years of life? If we know the extraordinary benefits of movement for optimal development of executive function, why isn’t there more attention paid to how movement affects brain function at the beginning of life, rather than at the end?

Why isn't Movement a Priority?

Here are a few reasons I believe this is happening:

Money motivates. According to the CDC, nearly 90 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare in the U.S., goes to treating a preventable chronic disease. Public and private insurers have realized the cost of inactivity and poor nutrition in adults. If people stay healthier, it costs less money. The problem is that we are waiting until people have chronic disease to intervene. Ideally, more money would be pumped into the other end of the system, ensuring pregnant mothers, infants and young children are getting proper nutrition and movement experiences that are known to be protective against future chronic illnesses like Type 2 Diabetes. There appears to be a lack of widespread understanding of the societal costs of lack of early movement.
Lack of research. Conducting research on children is difficult. There are ethical concerns and, frankly, no one stands to make money as the solutions are not products or drugs to be sold; rather simple lifestyle and behavior changes.
Cultural Norms. Our culture prioritizes academic achievement over natural movement, with cuts to PE programs and a lack of robust criteria for programs that do exist. Outside of sports, being physically active is not a cultural priority in the U.S. like it is in many other countries. Additionally, increased screen time creates more sedentary behaviors in young children. Cultural norms drive beliefs and behaviors. Leaders are often affected by their own cultural biases, leading to ineffective policymaking.
False assumptions. We may assume children are moving, playing and taking PE in school. We assume infants are getting adequate time on their tummies, rolling over, doing baby push-ups on their way to rocking and later, crawling; all necessary for developing the brain circuitry they will need later to realize all of the benefits mentioned above. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be happening and no one seems to be noticing.

The First Three Years

Moving with the Brain in Mind

Research shows that 80% of our brain development occurs during the first three years of life, beginning in the womb. This window of time is also when our brains and bodies benefit most from physical movement, as movement patterns in utero and early infancy are necessary for an organized nervous system. Lack of early movement puts children at risk for developmental and learning delays, uncoordinated movement patterns, sensory disorders, behavioral issues, learning difficulties, and emotional dysregulation.

Movement is tied to IQ, our intelligence quotient, how “smart” we are. Physical movement increases the number of nerve cells and communication between those cells. It improves memory, focus, and attention. It organizes how information comes into the brain from our sensory systems – from our sense of spatial awareness, our eyes, ears, sense of touch and taste - and determines how well we manage our minds and bodies as a result of that organization. Movement drives how well we learn from the time we are born.

The PQ Formula

PQ ⇨ IQ + EQ

We move to learn. We become smarter through our movement experiences. So, our Physical Intelligence (PQ) is foundational to our cognitive intelligence (IQ). PQ increases IQ.

What we may not know, or fully understand, is that our PQ is also tied to our Emotional Intelligence (EQ). EQ encompasses self-awareness, empathy and relational skills. It affects our ability to regulate our emotions, our ability to co-regulate emotionally in relationship to others, our ability to read and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues. All of these capabilities require self-awareness. How do we become self-aware? The connection and coordination of physical sensations between the body and the brain through the nervous system determine how we feel emotionally. Trauma, happiness, fear, anger, joy; everything we experience in life is felt in the body. And, because this involves our nervous system, and our nervous system improves with movement-based activities, management of these bodily sensations and feelings is improved through physical movement. Therefore, PQ increases EQ.

Join the Movement

When we look specifically at the very earliest stages of a baby’s development, starting in the womb, movement matters. In fact, movement matters during the first three years of life more than any other time during our life span. Early movement patterns determine the structure and function of our brain; how functionally fit our bodies and brains will be as we grow. Movement determines our capacity for learning, playing sports, for developing self-confidence, and self-agency, the ability to do what we set our minds to doing. It impacts our ability to make friends and manage our emotions. Ultimately, our success in life depends on it.

Children are moving and playing less and less. Headlines about failing levels of reading and math proficiency, increasing mental health disorders, the impacts of trauma, and suicide rates among youth dominate but nowhere are we talking about the antidote to much of this. Movement, during the first three years of life, builds the foundation for resilience.

It’s a lot, I know. And, you’re probably asking “why haven’t we heard this before?” This is the question I have been asking professors, doctors, and community health professionals for the past two decades and they all tell me the same thing. “I think you’re on to something.”

I have not discovered anything new. This is a synthesis of existing research; and frankly, much of it is common sense. We just aren’t applying it during the optimal window of human development. My goal is to change that. Please join me in building a future where critical movement and nutrition patterns are prioritized from conception through the first years of life and beyond.

What should be done?

Improve maternal nutrition, reduce maternal stress and get mom moving because what mom does directly impacts her baby’s nervous system and brain development.
Get babies on their tummies. Floor play is crucial for integrating primitive reflexes. When these are retained, the brain and body do not develop properly and the nervous system will be out-of-sync, affecting all future physical, mental, social and emotional development.
Ensure kids move in ways that strengthen the development of their vestibular system. Activities that encourage head movements side-to-side, front-to-back and up-and-down affect the inner ear, influencing the organization of sensory information in the brain. This is perhaps the most important takeaway for every parent, caregiver and educator. A great deal of behavioral and learning issues can be ameliorated with early vestibular experiences.
Reduce containerization of children. Let them move freely, exploring the world so their brain can develop the way it was designed.
Improve childhood nutrition. Just like our cars, the body and brain require very specific fuel to operate. In addition to eating a balanced diet, with plenty of fruits and vegetables for micronutrients, we need healthy fats with Omega 3 fatty acids for proper function of our nervous system.

The best part is that this is simple and costs nothing but a few minutes of time here and there in our day. Getting our babies and toddlers moving naturally should not be an insurmountable task. Please join me in the PQ Initiative to get our kids, and our country, moving in the right direction.