The Nine Habits of Highly Effective Brains

————— While we are still (hopefully) enjoying some downtime, let’s review some good lifestyle options we can all follow to not only maintain, but improve, our vibrant brains. 1. Learn more about the “It” in “Use It or Lose It.” A basic understanding will serve you well to appreciate your brain’s beauty as a living and constantly-developing dense forest with billions of neurons and synapses. 2. Take care of your nutrition. Did you know that the brain only weighs 2% of body mass but consumes over 20% of the oxygen and nutrients we intake? As a general rule, you don’t need expensive nutritional supplements, just make sure you don’t stuff yourself with the “bad stuff.” 3. Remember that the brain is part of the body. Things that exercise your body can also help sharpen your brain: physical exercise enhances neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons), at any age! 4. Practice positive, action-oriented thoughts until they become your default mindset and you look forward to creating something beautiful every new day. Too much stress and anxiety–either induced by external events or by your own thoughts–actually kills neurons and prevent the creation of new ones. 5. Thrive on Learning and Mental Challenges. The point of having a brain is precisely to learn and to adapt to challenging new environments. Once new neurons appear in your brain, where they migrate and how long they survive depends on how you use them. “Use It or Lose It” does not mean ...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Cognitive Neuroscience Education & Lifelong Learning brain brain-development Brain-Fitness Brain-health habits Neurogenesis neuroplasticity sharp brains smart-brains wellness Source Type: blogs