Varying motions of the body are not only suitable for your bones and muscles. They can pave the way for a healthier brain. With the right training and attitude, you can live a life with a clear head.
Have you ever wondered why you preferred to walk off stressful events of the day? Generally speaking, you and other folks think well when you’re taking those quiet and peaceful strides. In the scientific arena the explanation lies in the increased oxygenation of your brain.
Walking can do wonders to both your legs and brain. It does not strain you leg muscles and glucose uptake is not as high compared to other forms of exercise. As for your brain, blood circulation is enhanced which means more nutrients and nourishment are delivered to your control center. Moreover, energy production is improved along with waste excreting processes.
Studies involving elderly women indicate that those who moved away from the sedentary lifestyle and slipped on their walking shoes manifested lesser chances of memory loss and reduced mental functioning. Walking and stair-climbing were combined in an experiment in the University of California. Results favored the group of women who were on the go as they scored better in tests. Moreover, researchers discovered that an extra mile per week can lead to a 13 percent reduction on the chances of having negative cognitive alterations.
There’s a nice way of making yourself alert amidst the stacks of papers you need to work on. This is also applicable for the mornings when you feel the urge to start your day on the right note. Choose a comfortable position then move your toes slowly. Make sure that the wiggling and stretching feels good.
When you feel like you’ve gained your momentum, move your toes up and down. As you reach fluidity in your motions focus on making your big toes dance to the beat. The objective of the steps mentioned is to stimulate your brain and internal organs. This will give you the much needed fuel and stability throughout your stint in the urban jungle.
On the road to a healthier mind, there’s no other way to go but the positive lane. Upon mastery of the walking techniques you can launch yourself to a faster pace by running. Scientific exploration of the hippocampus, a region of the brain overseeing memory and learning affairs, led to findings that running has benefits on the brain. Such activity can lead to brain-boosting scenarios even for those who have neurodegenerative disorders.
There’s an exercise that you might know as part of the warm-up team. It is called cross crawl which actually targets the left and right hemispheres of your brain. Moreover, it offers stimulation of the nervous system resulting into coordinated functioning.
You have the option of executing each motion in either a standing or sitting position. Initiate the procedure by lifting your left knee while commanding your right elbow to move across your body with the objective of making the two parts touch. Afterwards, proceed with separation and return to neutral position. Do this alternately for 2 to 3 minutes.
The brain will enjoy its training sessions if it is joined by its anatomical comrades. You are assured that results will come out well and you get to have that lean figure you’ve always been thinking of.
All over the world today, scientists have now agreed that brain training can and do improve brain power. Like the comparison of physical exercise being good for the body, brain training can keep older minds to function better, and with a bonus – the benefits can last for years.
According to new studies, participating in interactive games help maintain cognitive functions. Mental activities like reading may delay or prevent memory loss. Even after five years, older adults who had about 10 sessions of supervised brain training had shown long-lasting improvements in memory, reasoning and speed of processing.
Research finds
Another striking feature in the research on brain training is the discovery of evidence of the participants’ transfer of skills to everyday functions. Compared to those untrained, these participants were able to do such skills as cooking, managing finances and using their medications.
Reliable improvements had been noted at 87% in speed training and at 74% in reasoning training. These improvements in mental acuity had been detected for about two years or more by the authorities.
Long-term effects
In short, these improvements in brain abilities (better memory, better problem-solving skills, and better concentration) after training have roughly counteracted cognitive decline that older people (even those without histories of dementia) are known for.
Another bit of good news is that researchers have found out that these cognitive improvements were still detectable even after five years since training. Brain-trained seniors can still outperform those untrained individuals in the mental abilities that they had received instructions before.
Function loss and recovery
Research had also discovered that just like losing muscle mass as a person ages, brain function also begins to decline with the passing of years. This is true to all persons, even those leading healthy normal lives.
Everyone knows that prevention of muscle loss can be done by exercise and the continued use of these muscles over time. In the same token, scientist surmised and were proven correct, brain function loss can also be recovered and improved if it has its own form of exercise.
Neurons
It had been long established by science that neurons (nerve cells) are unique in that they will atrophy and die if they do not receive stimulations (either electrical or chemical) from their neighboring cells.
Conversely, if these neurons are stimulated (by way of new sensations, new knowledge, and new experiences) they develop new neural connections between themselves. Once these connections are established, the neurons will all live and grow more connections.
In illnesses like Alzheimer’s, strokes, and other motor neuron diseases, this self-destruction of neurons can lead to serious consequences. Memory loss, difficulties in comprehension and many other critical mental functions are just some of the sorry results.
“Stick-to-itiveness”
One important factor to brain training is “sticking to it”, especially if you are doing your training by yourself. (Clinics and other rehabilitation centers have their programs and trainings usually done in groups to minimize boredom in the participants.)
Another side note to brain training is to perform them in the morning. It had been noted that mornings are the times when the brain is at its peak level of activity.
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