We all know exercising if important to live a healthy and balanced life. But as a college student, sometimes studying, working or your social plans get in the way of exercising. After all, who wants to go to the gym on a Sunday morning? Although school work is important, its also essential that students exercise in order to use as much brain power as possible.

Firstly, exercise boosts your mood. Studies have shown that exercising makes you happier and more energetic throughout your day. A study by Duke University in 1999

showed how exercising drastically effects those with depression. One group exercised while another took anti-depressants. At the end of the study, the group that exercised showed a drastic improvement in mood.

Also, working out relieves stress. Everyone knows how stressful college can be, and students are constantly looking for study breaks to relieve stress. Prolonged stress can lead to health problems, some as extreme as heart attacks. By exercising, you ease anxiety and it can reverse the negative effects stress has on your body.

By exercising, you are actually improving your memory retention. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that helps you control formation, retention and recall memories. If you exercise, you are promoting growth of your hippocampus.

A study in 2009 took learning-disabled and ADHD children having them exercise on treadmills before math class. The teachers found an improvement in the student's ability to concentrate, participate and retain information. Getting an extra work out in before class sure would help with memorizing flashcards before your next midterm.

Lastly, a New York Times article, describes how experiments from the University of Illinois show how exercise stimulates brain cell development. The study discovered that mice who ran regularly on a wheel had more neurons than those who didn't. They also had more complex connections between neurons and performed better on cognitives tests.

Make time for exercise in your busy schedule so that you can succeed in school and your life. Just getting your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day will have a profound effect on your physical and mental health. Soon, you'll be in great physical and mental shape.