Achievable Activities To Really Enhance Your Brain Health
Your brain is arguably the most complex and important organ in your body. The brain enables your thoughts, emotions, memories, movements, perceptions of senses, and controls behavior. When you take care of your brain, you take care of your whole self. :)
Activities that enhance the brain's natural abilities are crucial for your brain's health and functioning. The brain is like a muscle and when it is in use we naturally feel good, and there are many ways we can use the brain in fun, simple activities. The good news is participating in activities does much more than just increase brain health, it can:
Reduce stress
Increase creativity
Improves social skills and connection
Better sleep quality
Boosts your energy
Meditation
Meditation is an easy activity for the health of your brain. A study by the NIH showed that long-term meditators have less atrophy of brain gray matter (meaning wasting away of the tissue in your brain that plays a vital role in daily functioning). The study also showed that meditation reduces stress and promotes well-being.
It has also been shown to increase levels of dopamine, serotonin, and GABA in those that meditate on a daily basis. I personally meditate for roughly 10-12 minutes, and I see a difference in my day when I practice.!
Resources: I have used insight timer for my meditation journey, but several guided meditations are also on Youtube. I’ve linked a few below!
Insight timer: https://insighttimer.com/
Headspace: https://www.headspace.com/
Guided meditation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj0JDwQLof4
Coordination and Strategy Games
Games such as chess, sudoku, and crossword puzzles activate several parts of your brain at once. Particularly the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobe which focus on memory and cognitive processing. Playing these games regularly also helps to increase your attention span, leading to better focus. It has also been understood that these games fuel brain cell growth which increases memory, increases mood, and helps with anxiety and depression.
Resources:
Online chess: https://www.chess.com/
Online sudoku: https://sudoku.com/
Online Crossword puzzles: https://www.boatloadpuzzles.com/playcrossword
Exercise
Exercise is one of the most scientifically proven ways to maintain excellent brain health. While the word exercise might send you running off in another direction, it doesn’t have to be an exercise in a busy gym 6 days a week. Some less intimidating, slower exercises that I love are swimming and yoga!
Swimming is a great source of aerobic exercise, which is a type of exercise that your brain really loves. Aerobic exercise has been known to release endorphins for your mood, increase memory, and improve focus. Another NIH study showed that based on two imaging studies that observed those who participate in yoga that there were measurable changes in brain activity. Using a PET scan they discovered a 65% increase in dopamine release.
To improve cognition of the brain aim for just 45 minutes of exercise 3 days a week. Regular physical activity can reduce cognitive decline and improve anxiety, depression, and improve memory!
Resources:
Great yoga videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@YogaWithNico/featured
https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene
Ways to find pools in your area: https://swimply.com/
Learning A New Skill
Learning a new skill can be something beneficial for not only your day-to-day life but also for the health of your brain! When you practice learning a new skill cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman says, “It helps out your brain by strengthening the connections between parts of your brain. Challenging activities strengthen entire networks in the brain”(Silverman, Lauren). *
A few examples could be:
Painting
Writing
Learning a language
Learning an instrument
I’ve personally used skillshare to learn new skills. They have leading experts from hundreds of industries, hobbies, and skills that share tips on learning something new. I took a few courses on writing and financial literacy, and always took something new away from a course! I’ve also heard good things about coursera and masterclass if you want to look into more options!
Practicing ways to enhance the health of your brain is a great way to promote the overall health of your body. Your brain is a vital aspect of you as a human, and maintaining health and well-being can be functional and fun for your day-to-day life. There are dozens of avenues to practice brain health, but choosing one to start with is the first step. :-)
Silverman, Lauren. “Learning a New Skill Works Best to Keep Your Brain Sharp.” NPR, NPR, 5 May 2014, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2014/05/05/309006780/learning-a-new-skill-works-best-to-keep-your-brain-sharp. 