Top 5 Ways To Train Your Brain
The human mind is a wondrous thing.
Just look around you at the development of technologies, economies, experiences, and interactions that could not have existed even 20 years ago.
We create things. Develop things. Turn concepts into reality.
We seek ways to improve our livelihoods and environments for the better of mankind… for the most part.
However, as we age, it becomes critically important to exercise this giant muscle sitting atop our heads, in order for it not to fail us.
The need to train our brains
Just like we need to train our bodies through physical activity, so that it doesn’t fail us, we need to be cognizant of the fact that our minds also have a “use it or lose it” quality.
In the same way, we use a treadmill or go for a brisk walk outdoors we are exercising our bodies, each time we read a book, newspaper or have to apply thought to solve problems, we are exercising our minds.
However, in the world of on-demand entertainment services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, etc. and the significant increase in social media platforms like Facebook, we are actively “dumbing down” the required brain power we need to exercise each day.
Real world benefits
Numerous studies have shown that cognitive stimulation in older adults, for example, reading or playing board games and other thinking games, can prevent the decline in the mental function we tend to experience.
This includes both normal age-related cognitive decline, as well as the abnormal decline of Dementia.
With all of these great reasons to keep our brain nice and sharp, we’ve listed out our Top 5 Ways To Train Your Brain, which you can implement into your daily routines and start doing TODAY!
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Embrace Repetition
What is the simplest way to help yourself remember what you see?
Repetition.
For example, let’s say that you’ve just met someone for the first time:“Hi, my name is John”
Don’t just respond with, “Nice to meet you”. Instead, say, “Nice to meet you, John.”
This simple act of repeating John’s name will significantly increase your chance of committing it to memory.
You can even add in an interesting feature that you notice to increase your memory recall about John.For example, maybe John has a nice pair of shoes. Or a big smile. Or a striking eye color.
Looking for certain physical features or other attributes will also help your mind record this information as belonging to John, and associating them with John on the next recall.
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Aim to do the same old things in different ways
This can put some people out of their comfort zones, but imagine wearing your watch on your right arm instead of your left, or swapping your hands when using cutlery.
It will seem strange at first, but in doing seemingly mundane, everyday tasks in a different way, your reengineering your neural pathways to find a new method of success in your task.
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Seek out new information to learn
While we may have accumulated significant information, education, skills and for some even mastery of certain knowledge in our lifetimes, the sheer volume of things that we consciously know that we “don’t know” is a much, much larger piece.
Maybe start learning a new language. Take a vacation to somewhere you’ve never been. Preferably on the other side of the world. Where the spoken language is different from that of your own.
OK, admittedly these examples are a little extreme.
But, simply by being open to learning new things, seeking out new knowledge and experiences, and enjoying the process of doing so, it means we are constantly forcing our brains to be malleable and adaptable, resulting in ongoing higher brain activity.
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Exercise.
We’ve spoken earlier in this post about needing to work our minds as well as our bodies, but the two work harmoniously.
Engaging in consistent physical activity of more than 20 minutes per day will increase blood flow to all your vital organs, and, subsequently, produce wonders for your brain.
Consistency is key here, as exercising for 20 minutes two days per week will not help you, either physically or mentally.
Our bodies are rhythmic machines, which is why so many people “get into a routine” when it comes to exercise.We train our bodies and our minds together, so both know when it’s time to get up and get moving.
Studies show that consistent physical activity improves brain function, memory recall, creative thinking and at a neurological level, helps in the destruction to the buildup of plaques in the brain that cause cell damage.
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More social, less media
Engaging in social gatherings, or even just more regular conversations with friends and loved ones will not only increase your emotional baseline but engage your mind in all aspects.
Humans are social beings. It’s baked into our DNA. The act of being together with the people we love and care for not only strengthens these relationships but requires us to utilize our brain functions faster.
Thus, the more social we are, the more brain activity we see.
This DOES NOT, however, extend to “liking” a photo of someone on Facebook or commenting on a shared post.
We need to make a conscious effort to get off our screens and tablets and use our “smartphones” for what they were originally designed for.
Phone calls.
(And yes, we see the irony in the fact you’re reading this article from your screen or tablet now.)
Brain Training Through Technology
These days we are blessed to have multi-faceted resources, allowing us to combine the ongoing support of a community, with modern tools such as computerized brain training products.
Such tools have been shown to significantly improve cognitive skills such as attention, processing speed, visual-spatial memory, and self-reported measures of everyday function.
In fact, several recent reviews reinforce the benefits of computerized brain training products in promoting healthy brain aging (1,2)
Furthermore, in people with a higher risk of Dementia (mild cognitive impairment, MCI), this type of training improves overall attention as well as working memory, learning and even psychosocial functioning (3).
We have incorporated specific brain training systems into our “Brain Gym” here at BrainFit Resorts, and through our ProtectMyBrain Program, participants experience a personalized brain training regime that has been proven to increase cognitive skills over time.
If you would like to find out more about cognitive training, and whether the ProtectMyBrain Program is right for you, click on the link below for more details.
Final thoughts
Do you agree with our list? Is there anything else that you do regularly that helps you to keep your mind sharp?
Why not leave us a comment below with your best-kept secret, or write to us at info@brainfitresorts.com
We hope these tips provide you with some insights and assistance to living your most brain healthy life.
If you enjoyed reading this blog, and want to see more of our articles relating to cognitive skills and training, check out the links to some of our other articles below:
- How Can To Improve Cognitive Skills
- Cognitive Decline: Can It Be Prevented? – VIDEO
- Memory Loss… Is It Normal Or Abnormal? – VIDEO
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Until next time… Live Strong. Live Well. Live BrainFit.
References:
- Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Commercially Available Computerized Cognitive Training Among Older Adults. J Cogn Enhanc 2017
- Enhancing Cognitive Functioning in Healthly Older Adults: a Systematic Review of the Clinical Significance of Commercially Available Computerized Cognitive Training in Preventing Cognitive Decline. Neuropsychol Rev (2017) 27:62–80
- Hill NT, Mowszowski L, Naismith SL, Chadwick VL, Valenzuela M, Lampit A. Computerized cognitive training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 14. [Epub ahead of print]