Effectiveness of physical exercises for regulation of the functional state of six- to eight-year-old anxious children

Abstract

The study aimed at optimizing the functional state (FS) of anxious six- to eight-year-old children showed that integrated use of physical exercises of a mainly aerobic character, relaxation training, respiratory exercises, and functional music is more effective in the long-term aspect than selective use of these means. Only physical exercises exert a marked influence in the FS of six- to eight-year-old anxious children under a stressful informational load. The use of other means of optimizing the FS appears to be less effective. The high effectiveness of physical exercises is determined by adaptive changes in the mechanisms of FS regulation in anxious children. Apparently, long-term adaptation to an adequate muscular activity ensures improved functioning of, and a better interaction between, the activating and inactivating structures of the modulating brain system located at different levels of the CNS, in particular, in the frontal cortical areas. It is emphasized that the peculiarities of the influence of different means of regulation of the FS on the body of anxious elementary school children are, largely determined by the immaturity of the frontothalamic regulatory system and the specifics of the functional organization of the limbic brain structures.