Cognitive flexibility is a broad term generally referring to our ability to adapt flexibly to our constantly changing environment.
It is the ability to switch between thinking about two different concepts or to think about multiple concepts simultaneously.
The study identified a correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and academic performance, the researchers also reported a link between varying degrees of cardiorespiratory fitness and specific aspects of a student’s executive functions.
Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.
The authors of the study conclude that “by demonstrating the link between physical capacities, such as cardiorespiratory capacity, cognitive abilities and grades, it underlines the importance of not reducing physical activity (and in particular physical education hours) in favour of other subjects, as this could ultimately have a negative impact on the development of the child as a whole.”
Full study: https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/9000/The_Indirect_Role_of_Executive_Functions_on_the.96072.aspx