Studies Prove that Exercise has a Positive Relationship with Improving the Overall Health of People Living with Epilepsy
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is also referred to as seizure disorder, and it is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions, as it affects roughly seventy million people of all ages, worldwide. A person is considered to have epilepsy after having two or more seizures that have not been provoked by specific events like trauma, disease or infection. Anyone can develop epilepsy no matter their race, gender, age, or ethnicity. However, factors such as aging, family history, cerebral palsy, head injuries, brain infections, or dementia may contribute to an increased risk of developing epilepsy.
The Need For Exercise
The problem is that often times, people with epilepsy refrain from participating in physical activity out of fear that they will become injured or have a seizure in the process. This results in these individuals having deficits in:
· Aerobic endurance
· Flexibility
· Muscle strength endurance
How Can Exercise Help Epilepsy?
Numerous studies have provided evidence that exercise and physical activity play a positive role in decreasing seizure frequency and increasing overall quality of life. Exercise can decrease the frequency of seizures by releasing a feel-good mood regulating hormone called dopamine. Since stress is a common trigger for seizures and stress is relieved while exercising, it makes since how the frequency would be reduced. Additionally,feelings of depression, fatigue, and social isolation diminish. Physical activity or exercise can also lead to increased:
Numerous studies have provided evidence that exercise and physical activity play a positive role in decreasing seizure frequency and increasing overall quality of life. Exercise can decrease the frequency of seizures by releasing a feel-good mood regulating hormone called dopamine. Since stress is a common trigger for seizures and stress is relieved while exercising, it makes since how the frequency would be reduced. Additionally,feelings of depression, fatigue, and social isolation diminish. Physical activity or exercise can also lead to increased:
· Strength
· Bone density
· Peak oxygen consumption
· Endurance time
· Self-esteem
· Overall quality of life
What Types of Exercises
No type of exercise is bad, however, research has shown that specifically strength training and voluntary exercise lead to a decreased frequency of seizures, percent body fat, and total cholesterol.
Exercise does not always have to mean running or jogging either; walking is one of the easiest and safest forms of exercise. Activities such as yoga, tai chi, swimming are also great, low-intensity physical activities if you take the right safety precautions.
The main thing to keep in mind is that not everyone with epilepsy will have the same exercise routine; it is important to find forms of exercise that suit the individual and any specific needs they may have.
Practical Implications
Partaking in exercise or physical activity can be done at home or somewhere of convenience and for free or of minimal cost, so there is little-to-no reason why everyone shouldn’t be participating.
Partaking in exercise or physical activity can be done at home or somewhere of convenience and for free or of minimal cost, so there is little-to-no reason why everyone shouldn’t be participating.
One of the only negatives to individuals with epilepsy exercising is that if they were to have a seizure while exercising, we would want them to be as safe as possible.
· Exercising with someone else is great because it will guarantee that you have someone to help you out if you were to have a seizure or another emergency.
· If nobody was around to exercise with, you can try your best to be safe by using well-known routes, avoiding busy roads, purchasing an epilepsy medical ID, and by carrying a cell phone with you at all times.
· Further information is needed in order to sufficiently improve the overall safety for this population while exercising.
Additional Information
Epilepsy Foundation podcasts: https://player.fm/series/1037938
Julia LaCroix
My name is Julia LaCroix and I am currently a senior at Westfield State University and will be graduating in Spring 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Movement Science. I have done extensive research on the effects of exercise on epilepsy and I just recently presented my knowledge on the topic at a university-wide research celebration. I can be contacted by my email at julialacroix1@gmail.com.
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References
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