Not that we need yet another reason to turn off the TV, but recent evidence seems to suggest that, besides the obvious benefits to our health and happiness, exercise may actually make you smarter.

Bear in mind, it may not be constructive to assume that your IQ will bound up to the stratosphere with an increase in your physical prowess, but studies have revealed some intriguing connections.

For instance, besides increasing alertness and mental acuity, intense aerobic exercise has been implicated in the formation of new nerve cells, something long thought to be impossible. Furthermore, some experts believe exercise can make the brain run faster and more efficiently, with potential benefits in such cognitive disorders as Alzheimer’s and ADHD.

(For a more in-depth discussion on the exercise-intelligence connection, check out the book “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,” by Harvard psychiatrist John Ratey.)

When you really get down to it, it makes perfect sense. Your brain, after all, is an organ, and organs need blood to function optimally. By increasing your circulation through exercise, you are giving your organs, especially your brain (which just so happens to be one of the most highly vascularized organs in your body), more of what it needs to be at it’s best: blood.

And while your goal may not be to get your kids a lifetime membership into Mensa, I think it’s fair to say that every parent wants their children to be healthy and happy (whether or not they are willing to make the effort is another story), and I think that it goes without saying that exercise goes a long way to promoting both of them.

So at the very least, get your kids off the couch and onto their feet. Better yet, get their hearts beating and encourage them to break out into a sweat. And if you’re finding it too much of chore to get your kids to be active, here are a few things that might help.

• Turn off the TV. I can’t stress this one enough, though I’m sure Katherine Turner will have something to say about this. TV is just a poor substitute for everything good in our lives, so turn it off, and start experiencing the real thing. And, if your goal is to get your kids out of  your hair for a few moments, getting out to play will accomplish this, and then some.

• Serve healthy snacks. While eating junk food is unavoidable, try minimizing it, because a poor diet won’t help motivate kids to be active.

• Be assertive. Remember, we’re talking about your children’s health, so sometimes you have to become unpopular and force your kids to get off the couch and out the door.

• Set a good example. You’ll lose credibility if you tell your kids to get out and play while you’re sitting on the couch eating bon-bons. So get out there with them, or bring along a friend. You never know, you just might enjoy it.

• Get other families involved. There is strength in numbers, and most kids are much more motivated to be active when there are other kids around.

• Don’t let the weather stop you. As long as kids are safe and comfortable, they can have fun in any type of weather, even if the idea of them getting muddy or wet mortifies us. So lighten up and let them get dirty.

• Look into local activities. Most parks and recreation centers have loads of activities and programs to keep kids active, so take advantage of them. They’re your tax dollars, after all.

Let’s face it, kids are naturally inclined to be active. They just like to move, which is painfully evident if you spend any time near a playground. So why deny them their what is not only something they gravitate to, but is good for them?

And if, on top of all that, it might make them a little bit smarter, then in the end, it’s a no-brainer. Or should I say, a “yes-brainer?”