A quick burst of exercise before class may be the key to sharper thinking and better grades, according to new research from the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

The study found that just nine minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) helped children score significantly higher on a standardized verbal comprehension test compared to when they sat still before taking it.

"In the classroom, you have teachers that say, 'Let's take a movement break to get you focused again,'" said paper author and kinesiologist professor Eric Drollette in a statement.

He continued: "We know that's the case anecdotally in the classroom, but we hadn't put the science to it."

Previous research on exercise and cognition in children has often involved lab-based setups, such as 20-minute tread

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