Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental condition that affects children and adults alike. Symptoms of ADHD include being impulsive, hyperactive and lacking attentiveness. People suffering from this condition have a hard time paying attention and maintaining focus on a certain goal.
While it might be easy to notice the symptoms of ADHD in young children, it can be more complicated in teenagers and young adults. Most people with ADHD don’t actually know they have it. They may be experiencing struggles to keep a school schedule or job, and have poor listening skills, a disorganized lifestyle, and difficulty maintaining relationships. These seem like normal life problems, but they might be clear indicators of ADHD.
At Clear Behavioral Health, we encourage our young adult ADHD patients to try physical exercise as a way to control the symptoms of ADHD. Physical activity enhances focus and acute exercise improves mood. The best thing about exercising is that it doesn’t require much of an investment. All you need to do is have a conversation about which physical activity your child is willing to try and present the benefits of a commitment to regular exercise.
Here are some of the best exercises that can help teens with ADHD – these are physical activities that increase attentiveness, and are suited for children who struggle to maintain focus in academic and social settings.
1. Dancing
We all enjoy bumping into the sound of music once in a while. But did you know that you can use dancing as a way of exercising? Dancing is not only beneficial for physical wellbeing but it also improves brain function. If your child is suffering from ADHD, we recommend they go for a type of dancing that is fast-paced. This helps release the excess energy experienced by persons with ADHD.
Dancing can also help ADHD patients feel calm and concentrate better. This can manifest in higher focus in class and during conversations with others. Your child doesn’t have to be a good dancer to benefit from this form of exercise. No matter how rusty their moves are, the end goal is to keep their body active to release energy. They can dance privately to music, or enroll in a class.
2. Walking or Running
Develop a walking routine in the morning or evening with your child in a park near you. Walking has many health benefits such as increased heart rate and toned leg muscles. It is an aerobic exercise that engages your entire body and mind, making it a perfect exercise to fight ADHD symptoms. It is important to note that managing symptoms with physical activity does not have to include complex exercises.
The best place to do your morning or evening walks is outdoors. While walking or running on a treadmill may offer the desired physical benefit, it’s not the best for psychological exercise. This is because your child will be walking in a stationary place, which may not be very relaxing. Instead, walking outdoors will help them relax in nature.
3. Team Sports
If your child is a fan of ball games that involve many people, encourage them to join a league, which can improve their concentration levels. The good thing about team sports is they require players to interact, be motivated by others and stay coordinated as a team.
Organized sports offer numerous physical exercises. They put your child in a social group, which helps to keep them motivated. Since teamwork is essential in such sports, they will learn how to communicate and think during the game. Team sports work well with ADHD kids, because they require full attention. Whether they join a soccer, volleyball or basketball league, they’ll need to make impulsive decisions.
4. Swimming
Swimming is an aerobic exercise that offers numerous health benefits, including toned muscles and increased heart rate. This exercise can benefit people with ADHD because it engages the entire body. While other team sports might require your child to wait for their turn, swimming keeps them active at all times.
They don’t have to go swimming once a month. They can swim regularly at the community people under your watch. They’ll have room to play in the water however they like.
5. Martial Arts
Boxing, tae-kwon-do, tai chi, and karate are some of the most helpful sports for improving concentration and shedding off excess energy. You can register your child at a local gym for regular training sessions.
Since all martial arts have specific rules, they help ADHD kids relax and focus at the same time. Martial arts can improve your concentration skills, build self-confidence and offer stress relief.
6. Skilled Activities
There’s a wide range of enjoyable skilled activities that can help your child reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Some of these include:
- Yoga
- Skateboarding
- Rock climbing
- Gymnastics
Each of these activities involves repetitive motion that is physically taxing and at the same time soothing to the brain. These activities are effective if you struggle with ADHD because they help to build brain connections and expend energy.
If you notice symptoms of ADHD in your child, you can introduce them to any of these activities. It will help them to develop a passion for the sport from an early age, which will help with their concentration. Do not forget to take your kid for professional assessment immediately if you notice signs of mental illness.
Teen Mental Health Treatment
Along with exercise, mental health treatment for teens can be a crucial component when it comes to effectively managing ADHD symptoms. This process starts with proper diagnosis of ADHD, followed by further consultation with mental health professionals, and designing a customized treatment plan. An adolescent psychiatrist will determine if ADHD medication will be helpful to manage symptoms and therapists will begin implementing various therapeutic modalities to effectively address your condition.
Our intensive outpatient program (IOP) for teens is the perfect place for you to identify personal struggles with ADHD and consistently work alongside therapists and peers to overcome them. To effectively treat ADHD, we provide teen group therapy, individual therapy, art therapy, music therapy, as well as case management. As mentioned above, exercise plays a vital role to effectively manage ADHD and we encourage our clients to lead an active lifestyle.
Seek Additional Help
When choosing a physical exercise to fight ADHD symptoms, look for activities that excite your child and are stress-free for them to participate in. Activities like dancing and swimming allow kids to choose their own flow, while team sports train children with ADHD to balance impulsive decisions with teamwork strategies. It’s also crucial to seek professional assistance for any young adult or child suffering from mental illnesses like ADHD.
We work with young people struggling to manage their ADHD symptoms. We’ll get to know your child and encourage physical activities that we believe will be right for them. Moreover, our teen treatment programs throughout Los Angeles, CA including our teen mental health treatment center in Van Nuys, CA, and outpatient teen program in El Segundo, CA are engaging and utilize effective methods to treat ADHD. Contact us today if your loved one could benefit from our ADHD care.
