Our physical body is not the only one that needs exercise; even our brain needs that, too. But unlike exercises for the body, mental exercises are much easier done and easily achieved. New experiences will help in keeping your brain healthy, and here are some more tips in recharging your mind:
1. Neurobics Exercises
Neurobics is a new brain activity which helps in keeping the mind agile and healthy. When you exercise your brain, it releases natural growth factors also known as ‘neurotrophins’ which enhances the brain’s fitness level. The best way to stimulate the brain is to break your routines and fully use your five senses in new ways. For example, if you are right-handed, you can try using your left hand in brushing your teeth, or close your eyes while you insert the key into the ignition. These simple ways help in opening a new circuit in your brain. And this is just how Neurobics work. Break your daily routine and put your senses to full use. You can even try putting your brain’s attention circuits in full gear by closing your eyes upon coming home and navigate through your house, relying only on the other senses other than sight. You can also put your spatial memory to good use with this method.
2. The joy of dancing
Dancing doesn’t only give your physical body some great benefits; it also influences your mental health, as well. According to studies, dancing helps in exercising various regions in the brain, as dancing involves body control, coordination, and voluntary complex movements. Since dancing will involve a lot of social interaction and mental effort, it helps in stimulating the brain and reducing the risk of dementia later in life. It also improves cognitive skills and decision-making. It is already a given fact that dancing relieves stress, and it also helps in increasing feel-good hormones called serotonin. Dancing can also assist in developing new neural connections, particularly in the regions which are involved in executive functions, spatial recognition, and long-term memory.
3. Crosswords and Puzzles
Activities like crosswords and puzzles will require you to think hard, and that is the most important thing in keeping your brain healthy. Different parts of the brain will be put to use — crossword puzzles will challenge brain areas involving language and memory, while jigsaw puzzles will exercise the parietal lobes. Having your brain exercised now and then will help reduce your risk of getting dementia, as suggested by the Alzheimer’s Association. It also helps in improving your verbal skills and problem-solving capacity. These kinds of fun games would also assist you in getting used to seeing patterns, and it exercises the brain muscles which are involved in pattern detection. Aside from all these mental benefits, puzzles are also a good way to release stress and spend time with others, especially your loved ones.
4. Art for your brain
Doing anything art-related is a very good exercise and therapy. Aside from relieving stress, it also helps your mental state to be clearer and calmer. It’s a good distraction, as it gives your brain a break from the daily built-up stress and everyday thoughts. Art encourages you to practice thinking creatively; making your brain cells communicate actively with each other, and it enhances your problem-solving skills, too. Creative thinking will also help you in ‘thinking out of the box’, or come up with your unique solutions, which are very helpful in stimulating your brain to have new neurons. Both hemispheres would be put to good use since they’ll be communicating much efficiently while doing art. You can also try searching up for nootropics information. Doing arts is also good for developing your social interaction skills since you can opt for doing art projects in a group. Art therapies can help you unleash your creativity while spending time with others who also has the same goal with you — relax, do some art, exercise the brain, and meet new people.
5. Switched around morning activities
According to studies, major areas of the brain’s cortex are exercised when doing new and unusual tasks, which indicate that brain activity levels would increase in those areas. When tasks become daily routines and automatic, it will decline the activity levels of the brain. To address this, you can try getting up early and get dressed, then go for a walk with your dog in a never-before-tried route. You can also ditch your usual TV channel or news station and watch a new one. Doing all these would help your brain to notice the changes, and you can also take a break from the usual daily routine while helping your brain to get exercised.
New experiences and putting your five senses to full use would stimulate connections within your brain areas, which helps in producing the natural brain nutrients. All these activities and tips stated above will help you in keeping your brain in tip-top shape and would help in preventing illnesses later in life.
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