September 13th, 2009 → 4:38 am @ andre // No Comments
I got interested in the functions of the brain about half a decade ago. What made me delve into this field of science is a movie called, “The Notebook”. Have you watched it before? If you haven’t, let me tell you what it’s about.
It’s a love story between a lady who lost her memory in old age but her spouse kept by her side, despite the urging of his children. The lady would often remember him for a while, only to be afraid of the “strange” man hugging her the next second.
It got me thinking, what if I ended up like her? What sort of torture would I subject the people around me? There are little experiences that are more painful to see your loved one forget you. To lose memory of who you are. To lose your self-identity. And last but not least… to die not knowing who you are.
The movie got me thinking of my death-bed moment – I wanted to be able to say goodbye to the people around me. That’s when I truly “wake up” to the fact that my brain may need some attention.
That’s when I first began to research into the subject for the next 5 years or so. What do we need to do in order to maintain a healthy brain? Thee subject is complex. To explain it in full would literally require books. For the purpose of this article, I’ll drastically summarize the most important point. Here’s what I found: There are mainly 4 pillars of a healthy brain. They are:
Let’s explore them in a little depth, shall we?
Did you know that your brain is built to withstand only about 30 seconds of stress? Yet most of us live in an environment of constant pressure. When you’re under stress, your brain releases of hormone called “cortisol”. Cortisol raises your heart and blood sugar but decreases immune response (making you more susceptible to diseases) and excites brain cells to death. The less brain cells you possess, the lower you mental function becomes.
This is why various studies have shown people who are under stress tend to have difficulty memorizing facts, learning new skills and even sustaining attention. It makes sense. From an evolutionary viewpoint, you experience stress when a predator approaches. At that time, would you have the mood to learn and memorize? Not likely!
There are several very effective ways to manage stress. Listening to baroque music, meditating and even an taking afternoon nap are some of the great techniques to begin with. If you don’t have the time for these, simply closing your eyes and taking deep breaths can do wonders. Try it.
It doesn’t matter if you’re the calmest person on earth – if you’re not consuming a healthy diet, your brain will not function at its peak. Your diet contains the building blocks of your body, without which no part of your body can work optimally.
Also called “Neurogenesis”, part of the workings of your brain is its ability to grow new brain cells, so that even if you have suffered some sort of physical trauma or you’re experiencing mental decline, it can be reversed. However, the brain can only do so if it has access to the building blocks required.
As a rule of thumb, consume more green leafy vegetables but it is important to note that vitamin B12, lack of which can cause psychosis, do not have a plant source. If you would like to know more about brain food, check out this blog post.
“Neurons that fire together, wire together”. That’s the first rule of “Hebbian Learning”, currently the most accepted hypothesis as to how our brain works. The opposite side of that rule, is of course, “Neurons that no longer fire together, no longer wire together”. In effect, you either “use it or lose it”.
This is why brain exercises are so crucial. When your brain wires together, it creates what is called a “synapse”. By stimulating your brain through brain exercises, you will not only be strengthening your current synapses, you will also grow new neurons and create new synapses (again, requires the necessary building blocks). The more neurons and synapses you possess, the better your brain functions.
On the other hand, if you don’t stimulate your brain, your brain will lose its current synapses – an option most people chose.
Did you know that 60% of Americans who left college never read another book again? When was the last time you learn a new skill? How much of your time do you spend sitting down? How many of the things that you recorded in your iPhone (or any other device) can you remember?
If you don’t continuously learn, you’ll find it difficult to learn later in life. If you don’t use your limbs, you’ll find it difficult to stand and balance yourself later in life. If you don’t continuously stimulate your memory, you’ll lose the ability to remember later in life. Use it or lose it, remember?
Here is a simple brain exercise to try out. From now onward, be consciously aware of your surrounding. You’ll be amazed at just how things in your life that your brain has subconsciously filter. For example, it is a well known fact in the marketing industry that the average consumer is exposed to about 3000 sales messages each day. How many do you really notice?
In this exercise, I want you to take notice of your colleague’s shoes. His/Her belt, the things on his/her table, the nooks and crooks of the office and everything you can possibly notice. Even what is the color of the shirt the person behind you is wearing. Try this: Next time you’re in a restaurant, try asking your friend what color is the shirt the person behind him is wearing. Don’t be surprise to find out that he/she don’t know!
This type of active awareness (as contrasted to our regularly passive one) stimulates the brain and thus keep its neurons firing and wiring.
There are numerous benefits of exercise but one that is not popularly known is that it allows your brain to function at its peak. Imagine this: Our ancestors walk an average of 12 miles a day. How much have you walked lately?
When you exercise, your brain releases a plethora of chemicals designed almost to keep you addicted to exercising. Some of these chemicals calm you down. Some of them increases attention. Some keep you alert. Others, such as serotonin (often used synthetically to treat depression), allows you to be euphoric.
Exercising also fires neurons responsible for moving your limbs and keeping your balance. It, therefore, strengthens their synapses and makes sure you don’t need help moving around in old age. The good news is, nothing brutal is required. A simple 30 minute walk daily has been shown to improve IQ test scores, keep your energy level up and boost your memory.
Tags: brain fitness, brain health
