4 Ways To Boost Your Brain Power Today

-


Our brains are amazing machines. Containing around 86 billion nerve cells which connect to other nerve cells, our brains are masters at creating an amazing coordinated network that shares and receives information at astounding speeds and with great precision.

They can adapt and change for better - or worse - no matter how old you are. This flexibility helps shape our personalities through the advancing or the decline of our brain power which can happen in 2 ways; neural connections are constructed thereby creating new pathways and boosting cognitive abilities, or they’re disjoined resulting in a decrease in brain power.

While the aging process does weaken neural pathways resulting in a diminished memory along with other cognitive skills, there are things we can do at any age to enhance neural connections and promote the creation of new pathways while strengthening existing ones.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association have come up with a list of 7 steps that keep our brains healthy and working at their maximum potential.

1. exercise regularly
2. eat a balanced diet
3. keep your weight in check
4. control cholesterol levels
5. moderate blood sugar levels
6. maintain healthy blood pressure
7. refrain from smoking

Add to these 4 more brain-boosting activities you can do today to improve your brain power even further.

1. Give your brain a good workout

Just like you exercise to stay physically healthy, your brain needs a good workout too. The great part is that there are so many activities to choose from, such memory games, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, chess, and many more. Even something as simple as trying a new recipe or taking a different route to work can create new neural pathways.

2. Learn a new language

Young or old, learning a new language can provide the brain with a healthy boost. It also can hone its elasticity and enhancing cognitive abilities. One study shows that those who speak more than one language are able to deal with large amounts of information faster because their neural network has a faster reaction time.

Another research carried out at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom found out that a person speaking two or more languages experienced reduction in cognitive abilities than those who spoke only one.

3. Pick up a musical instrument

Learning to play a musical instrument at any age can protect the brain from regression. The sounds of an instrument not only wards off cognitive decline, but improves listening skills, while the hand-eye coordination required when playing improves spatial reasoning and memory skills. The benefits of music are so vast that even learning a physical task while listening to music enhances the area of the brain responsible for movement control and processing sound.

4. Meditate through mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness allows your brain to focus on the here and now, rather than just being on autopilot and cruising through life. Medical studies show that this technique, when practiced regularly even for a few minutes each day, can affect up to 8 major areas of the brain.

Plus, it helps reduce stress and anxiety which can speed up cognitive decline by killing off existing neurons and stopping new ones from being created. Mindfulness can help you see things from a brighter, more positive viewpoint, helping your brain create new neural pathways. Some studies even suggest that meditation can prevent, and help reduce symptoms of, Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Finally, try each of these activities and see what works best for you. Try to incorporate all, or a few, of these tips into your schedule and turn them into habits so you can give your brain the boost it needs to stay healthy and alert well into your golden years.
RONĖL M HARRIS

ORDER YOUR FREE COPY HERE
FOLLOW US:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4 Things That Kill Your Ability to Focus

-
Image
Focusing can be hard work when your brain is working against you. It’s extremely common to find yourself more distracted on some days than others; you can’t seem to stop browsing Facebook rather than doing your work, or even just staring out the window. But what is it, exactly, that’s causing this issue? What is it that’s keeping you in constant distraction? In this article, we’re going to discuss the four things that are killing your ability to focus on the task at hand, be it work, homework, being present in the moment, or even your housework. 1) Lack of Sleep Believe it or not, the amount of sleep you’ve had can lead to your inability to focus. Sleep is crucial to rest your body and mind, allowing you to take on all that the next day has in store for you rejuvenated and energized. Not getting the proper amount of sleep each night can lead to poor performance, distractibility, and even crankiness. Lacking sleep impairs your short-term memory and atten...
Read more

Do You Believe You Are Incapable?

-
Image
  Do you often rank yourself as being incapable of achieving great things? Let’s face it; when life seems to be spinning out of control, it can seem impossible to slow the rotation of that wheel. You may find yourself quietly or noisily dwelling in the abyss of negativity. Whether in the realm of love, happiness or success, your view of your ability to effectively deliver in these facets of your life might lean towards the negative side of things if you believe that your role in any of these areas is futile. Negative Effects of Thinking You are Incapable When we believe we are incapable of succeeding in some part or all facets of living our lives, it can have adverse effects. Low Expectations of Yourself and Potentially Others Thinking you are incapable often leads you to expect very little of yourself and others. You always believe that others are making negative assumptions about you and your abilities. These expectations of others may cause you to lim...
Read more

Mindset 101

-
Image
The connection between your thoughts, beliefs, and actions is well documented and extremely powerful. Many people walk through life believing that their lack of success is due to their abilities or luck, but in reality, the most powerful predictor of your success is actually your MINDSET. What is Mindset? The term mindset simply refers to your overall disposition, or how you think about yourself and the world. For example, do you believe that life is what is happening TO YOU, that most things in life are beyond your control and therefore not really your responsibility? Or, do you believe that life is what you make it, so your extra effort is essential to your success? Your mindset is based upon your beliefs and attitudes, and it guides all your behaviors in life. It informs how you think about yourself, how you treat and react to others, and how you respond to all the variables that come your way in life. Your mindset determines how you make sense of the world, how you thin...
Read more