{"id":4306,"date":"2016-04-13T14:15:30","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T13:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=50058"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:14","slug":"sport-and-study-a-winning-combination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2016\/04\/13\/sport-and-study-a-winning-combination\/","title":{"rendered":"Sport and study: a winning combination"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Running is a great way to regulate your emotions<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAysha Gasanova<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

After a long day on campus, juggling between lectures and assignments, how often do you come home and quickly cast aside that \u2018unhealthy\u2019 idea of hitting the gym, or going for a run. Motivation often runs scarce as most students feel drained from studying. This phenomenon is called study-related fatigue<\/em>. A recent study by the Behavioral Science Institute of the Radboud University in Nijmegen shows that low-intensity exercises help fighting such phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Ten percent<\/h3>

As described in the study, study-related fatigue can be identified in three main indicators, namely, emotional exhaustion, overall fatigue and need for recovery. The reasons behind study-related fatigue vary, ranging from high performance demand to high financial study costs. It was calculated that at least 10 percent of students in Dutch universities experience study-related fatigue. The most severe case of study-related fatigue is a burnout. In order to prevent that, students are encouraged to exercise regularly. Moreover, the introduction of regular exercising in one\u2019s routine might have positive influences on the quality of one\u2019s sleep and cognitive functioning among others.<\/p>\n

Smarter<\/h3>

Not only exercising helps fighting study-related fatigue, but it also helps to make you smarter. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that there is a beneficial relationship between exercising and brain power. According to an article published by the New York Times posted in 2012<\/a>, exercising does slow the brain\u2019s physical decay helping to preserve a healthier brain for longer.<\/p>\n

University students who are looking to keep up their positive attitude will benefit from regular exercise too. In fact, practicing sport or just breaking a sweat not only brings more oxygen into the system and the muscles, but also helps your body producing endorphins which in turn make you feel happy and positive. This is a key component for students, as a happy and healthy body reflects on the mind.\u00a0 Furthermore, a recent study carried out by the journal of Cognition and Emotion <\/em><\/a>has shown that going for a run can help one to overcome emotional breakdown quicker than individuals who do not. Yet, the study is not clear on whether other forms of exercise lead to the same results.<\/p>\n

Stay Active<\/h2>