Importance of Physical Education in School

"In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these means, man can attain perfection." Plato

Which part of school do you remember the most? Is it the nonstop lectures of Science and Math, or the compulsory hours that you had to spend in the library reading? I'm sure that for most of us the answer will be that of the free periods and the dedicated classes when students were allowed to play and enjoy the outdoors. I am talking about the classes which were none other than that of Physical Education.



Source:Pixabay

There are no points for guessing and analyzing exactly why and how Physical education is so important. In the day and era of technology and the world wide world of the web taking over, children these days are burdened with plenty of mental stress because of the immense pressure unleashed on them by studies and the fierce competition. Countless hours of being captured within the four walls of never-ending classes only to end up again within the same four walls of the homes hauled in front of the TV and computer screens. This is the schedule and routine that most school goers have these days, and it is a sight that is getting more and more downgraded.

Increasingly most schools have realized the importance of giving some time off for students to hone and sharpen their body with the help of physical education and sports. It is true and sort of obvious that the saying 'all work and no play makes Jack a dumb boy'. Students these days are so focused on doing well in academics and social life, that they need to stay fit and mentally happy and energized soon takes a back seat. There is no denying that education and studies are indeed very important, but along with that, it is important to activate those grey cells with some constant form of exercise and activities. However, the price that most students are paying by ignoring this is something that can't be measured and the effects of this are seen later when the student faces depression and anxiety. Experts at GoDissertationHelp have constantly said that "exercise to the body is like food for the stomach, it is a means of pushing the bod to do more and keeping it active and fit."

Turn the page of the lifestyles coupled with the fact of increasing screen time, students are faring really low when it comes to the happiness index and mental health. According to a recent study, it was showcased that those students who are given classes for physical education (more than 3 per week) have better Body Mass Indexes (BMI). When you take a look around your schools and societies, the play area and dedicated space for playing are not even planned. This is a rather sorry state of affairs and naturally, students will remain locked up within the four walls indoors because they have no time and now no space to actually go out and play!

As parents and the responsible management of the school, it is important to raise this red flag and make sure that all the students get time to give to sports and physical activities. Once you do all the signs that are now so visible in students such as dullness, irate, tiredness and lethargic behaviour will be driven away. Some of the major differences you will see in children are as follows:



Source:Pixabay

CONCENTRATING ON THE COGNITIVE ABILITY: Science itself proves that even an hour of physical activities helps the brain function better. The basal ganglia of the brain get activated with the help of any form of physical activities and exercise. This, in turn, helps the brain function better and improves the reasoning and cognitive ability of the student as well. With all the exams and tests, one is able to judge the students understanding of studies and with the help of regular sports meets and game competitions, you can prepare them to be active and teach them skills such as teamwork and sportsmanship.

IN THE FAST-PACED WORLD A SLOW BALL OF GAMES HELP: Fast food, fast results and fast-paced computer games that have decreased the attention span of all youngsters. So much fast around us, that we tend to ignore the benefits that we get with a slow yet steady gratification of sports and outdoor activities. One of the growing challenges these days is how soon young adults and kids are getting prone to obesity and other health-related issues. Physical education in school helps children by giving them the required time to exercise and reduces the risk of obesity and high blood pressure. This in turn also helps in strengthening the bones and make sure that the smallest of falls don't result in fractures. The number of people getting affecting by heart diseases is not even funny anymore. With regular sports and physical activities, a student can take a step to minimize heart-related issues at a later stage.



Source:Pixabay

PLAY AND EXERCISE MORE TO SLEEP MORE: One complaint most parents have is that their children don't sleep on time. The perpetual habit of just sitting and eating with no form of physical activity what so ever, results in students not getting tiered any more. Those children who are involved in some sort of sports and play get tired and exhausted, and this ensures that they hit the bed on time. With no form of any physical activity, a student will not feel the need to sleep because the only exhaustion that they will have is the mental one. Make sure you tire your kids down by sending them for some physical activity. It could be a game of badminton, an hour of swimming or even an hour of running on the tracks.

We live in a time where All Day I Dream About Sports (ADIDAS) is just a brand that children recognize and the only way they play any sport is by clicking a few buttons on their mobile and computer. It's high time we make sure that we give them the gift of understanding the joy that sports and outdoor activities give and make them healthy and fit for the coming future. After all, "to enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise" - Gene Tunney.

Guest Blogger: Henry Jones is a Content Specialist and an academic writer. He loves to help people by providing informational blogs all over the web.