Study: Standing Up Improves Students' Cognitive Skills
Great news for fidgety students and those who just can't keep themselves from standing up during class.
According to a new research reported by Science Alert, standing up may actually improve students' cognitive performance -- although it can be quite fatigue-inducing.
As noted, the study found that high school students who used standing desks for over a year demonstrated a significant improvement with their cognitive functioning, compared to when using conventional desks during class.
Mark Benden, one of the researchers from Texas A & M University, said that there has been anecdotal evidence coming from teachers that said their students are more focused and well-behaved while using standing desks.
Benden said that, "This is the first examination of students' cognitive responses to the standing desks, which to date have focused largely on sedentary time as it relates to childhood obesity."
It's no secret that there have been many research reports and even old wives' tales that highlight the benefits of standing up. However, most of these apparent benefits are usually focused on the physical aspect of standing up such as burning more calories.
Apparently, this study is the first of its kind to highlight the mental benefits of standing up, particularly for students.
The research was done according to The Globe and Mail by gathering 34 students, aged from 14 to 16, to participate in the study.
During the timeline of the research, the students' executive functions were assessed with a number of tests at two periods during the school year.
According to the tests, the students showed an approximate seven to 14 percent improvement in cognitive performance across different executive functions and working memory tasks after their year and a half of standing during classes.
The "standing up" study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and stated that, "continued use of standing desks was associated with significant improvements in executive function and working memory capabilities."
A member of the research team named Ranjana Mehta also said that they have observed changes in the corresponding brain activation patterns.
But just like many scientific studies, the research has its limitations, in which the researchers are well aware of. However, it should be noted that this study is still a commendable contribution to the scientific community as the authors called this to be the "first contribution to the existing knowledge base" in this area.
Moreover, the researchers said that this study could generate further tests and other similar studies, which will prove that standing up is really beneficial to cognitive functions.
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