GIVE YOUR BRAIN A WORKOUT

GIVE YOUR BRAIN A WORKOUT

Who remembers the song ‘olodo rabata, odo ….(can’t remember the song well again, I remember in primary school some kids were
termed dullards and that’s where it ended, nobody tried to help those kids. awwwww

We need the brain for virtually everything, from driving, to reasoning, that said you cannot go around the world with a second class brain, you have to think first class baby!

Neurologists and psychologists initially believed that the core aspects of cognitive processing were essentially fixed a young age (pampers things) with little or no room for improvement. Capacities like memory, attention and sensory processing were thought to be largely determined after a relatively brief period of early development, in order words, if as a toddler you were dull, you would most likely remain dull when you are grown( Did I hear you say God forbid in thick Igbo accent? Lol)

Its 2013, the world is revolving, and our dear dear neurologist and psychologists have discovered that the aforementioned theory is no longer true, emerging science of the brain is dramatically changing the way we view these things, we now know that with the right kind of stimulation and activity the brain can dramatically change and remodel itself to become freaking efficient and this affects the way we process information, concentration, memory, creative thinking and solving novel problems

Neuro plasticity- This is the power of the brains ability to fundamentally re-organize itself when confronted with new challenges e.g. learning a new language, learning an instrument, I recall as a child my mother registered me at a piano lesson somewhere on the mainland, I recall I grew up as a genius, I never failed growing up , I got 100 % in some of my courses, always top 10 in any exam, that was until my mum decided it was time to stop and focus on common entrance (if only she knew that it would be the beginning of my drop in grades) I became an average student from then on. Please note there is a difference between IQ and being brilliant in exams, someone with a high IQ would excel more after graduating, their brains would find a way for what more important (getting paid) and being very innovative that’s why you see people with a third class coming up with novel ideas and of course there is always a God factor. The best is to have the two.

As a child, I was reading Shakespeare series, Wuthering heights, Jane Eyre, I read newspapers, stories on scandals and blackmail( I was severely warned about the latter), but you get my point, at some point I stopped reading and trust me I know the difference. Also I was more brilliant when I was spoke French and English fluently, French was actually my first language, and I had to learn English when I came to Nigeria, The aim is to show you how important it is to speak, 3,-4 languages, play an instrument, listen to music, listening to classical/ calming music like Mozart and bond can help you greatly before studying for an exam.

Brain must haves- Here are proven ways to improve your brain power based on research

• Avoid coffee or tea- I know people say coffee makes you smart, I read up on the long term effects, lets just say you do not want your productivity to be determined by a stimulant.
  
• Take fish, turkey and vegetables
• Learn a foreign language
• Learn a skill 
•  Learn an instrument
•  Read books regularly 
• Solve puzzles and brainteasers.

• Listen to music especially Mozart- Studies have proven that listening to music strengthens the right-hemisphere of the brain and literally changes the structure. Those same studies have found that people who listen to music are generally smarter and have more emotional intelligence than those who don’t. Listening to classical music activates the left hemisphere of the brain, which is why classical music usually helps students do better in mathematics and writing. If you haven’t yet tried listening to some Mozart, consider it! Mozart has been linked to an 80 % increase in spatial intelligence scores!

•   Cultivate ambidexterity. Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair   or use the mouse. Write with both hands simultaneously. Switch hands for knife and fork.

• · Embrace ambiguity. Learn to enjoy things like paradoxes and optical illusions.

• Learn mind mapping. 
•  Block one or more senses. Eat blindfolded, wear earplugs, shower with your eyes closed.
• Develop comparative tasting. Learn to properly taste wine, chocolate, beer, cheese or anything else.
• Find intersections between seemingly unrelated topics.
• Learn to use different keyboard layouts.
•  Find novel uses for common objects. How many different uses can you find for a nail? 10? 100?
•   A good brainstorming session -to think of new, stimulating ideas is a great way to boost your brains ability to think creatively. Brainstorming is actually a different way of thinking that will equip your brain with a quick creative boost.
• Reverse your assumptions.
• Learn creativity techniques.
• Go beyond the first, ‘right’ answer.
• Transpose reality. Ask “What if?” questions.
• Turn pictures or the desktop wallpaper upside down.
• Become a critical thinker. Learn to spot common fallacies.
• Learn logic. Solve logic puzzles.
•  Get familiar with the scientific method.
•   Draw. Doodle. You don’t need to be an artist.
•  Think positive.
• Engage in arts — sculpt, paint, play music — or any other artistic endeavor.
•  Learn to juggle.
•   Eat ‘brain foods’.
•  Be slightly hungry.
•  Exercise!
•   Sit up straight.
• Drink lots of water.
• Deep-breathe.
•  Laugh!- Laughter causes a natural release of the brain’s endorphins — chemicals that drown out pain and increase overall well being. Laughter is a well known, natural stress reducer. Watch a comedy, crack a joke, and increase those endorphin levels!
• Vary activities. Get a hobby.
• Sleep well.
• Power nap.
•  Conquer procrastination.
• Look for brain resources in the web.
• Change clothes. Go barefoot.
• Master self-talk.
•  Simplify! 
• Play chess or other board games. Play via Internet
• Play ‘brain’ games. Sudoku, crossword puzzles or countless others.
•   Play video games.
• ·Be humorous! Write or create a joke.
• Create a List of 100.
•  Have an Idea Quota.
•  Capture every idea. Keep an idea bank.
• Incubate ideas. Let ideas percolate. Return to them at regular intervals.
•  Engage in ‘theme observation’. Try to spot the color red as many times as possible in a day.
•   Find cars of a particular make. Invent a theme and focus on it.
•   Keep a journal.
•  Eat at different restaurants – ethnic restaurants specially.
•  Learn how to program a computer.
•  Spell long words backwards. !gnignellahC
•  Change your environment. Change the placement of objects or furniture — or go somewhere else.
• Write! Write a story, poetry, start a blog.
•  Learn sign language.
• Visit a museum.
•  Study how the brain works.
• Learn to speed-read.
• Find out your learning style.
• Dump the calendar!
•  Try to mentally estimate the passage of time.
• “Guesstimate”. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer).
•  Make friends with math. Fight ‘innumeracy’.
•  Build a Memory Palace.
•   Learn a peg system for memory.
•  Memorize people’s names. 
•   Meditate. Cultivate mindfulness and an empty mind. 
•   Watch movies from different genres.
•  Turn off the TV.
•  Improve your concentration.
•  Get in touch with nature.
•  Do mental math.
• Have a half-speed day.
• Change the speed of certain activities. Go either super-slow or super-fast deliberately.
• Do one thing at a time.
• ·Be aware of cognitive biases.
•  Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. How would different people think or solve your problems? How would a fool tackle it?
•   Adopt an attitude of contemplation.
• Take time for solitude and relaxation.
•  Commit yourself to lifelong learning.
•  Travel abroad. Learn about different lifestyles.
•  Adopt a genius.
•  Have a network of supportive friends.
•   Get competitive.
•   Don’t stick with only like-minded people. Have people around that disagree with you.
•  Change your perspective. Short/long-term, individual/collective.
•  Go to the root of the problems.
• Collect quotes.
• Change the media you’re working on. Use paper instead of the computer; voice recording instead of writing.
• Develop your reading skill. Reading effectively is a skill. Master it.
• Summarize books.
•  Develop self-awareness.
• Say your problems out loud.
• Describe one experience in painstaking details
• Learn Braille. You can start learning the floor numbers while going up or down the elevator.
•  Try different perfumes and scents.
• Mix your senses. How much does the color pink weigh? How does lavender scent sound?
• Debate! Defend an argument. Try taking the opposite side, too.
• Use time boxing.
• Allocate time for brain development.

• Have your own mental sanctuary.

•  Be curious!
• Challenge yourself.
• Develop your visualization skills. Use it at least 5 minutes a day.
• Take notes of your dreams. Keep a notebook by your bedside and record your dreams first thing in the morning or as you wake up from them.
•  Learn to lucid dream.
•  Keep a lexicon of interesting words. Invent your own words.
•  Find metaphors. Connect abstract and specific concepts.
•  Manage stress.
•  Get random input. Write about a random word in a magazine. Read random sites using StumbleUpon or Wikipedia.
• Take different routes each day. Change the streets you follow to work, jog or go back home.
•  Install a different operating system on your computer.
• Improve your vocabulary.
•  Deliver more than what’s expected

• Avoid Junk Food – Junk food has been proven to decrease energy in the body and promotes “brain fog.” Cut some junk food from your diet, and reap the benefits of a more calm, focused brain chemistry.
•  Deep Breathing — Deep breathing actually increases oxygen levels and blood-flow to the brain. 10-15 minutes of daily deep breathing can make a huge difference in the quality of your life and brain’s functioning potential.
• Take Fish Oil — Fish oil supplements are literally like membrane material for the brain. The 2 primary components of EPA and DHA each act to strengthen both the emotional center of the brain and boost focus. There is an increase in overall brain activity after taking fish oil for awhile.
• Engage In Debate — A good, healthy debate strengthens the brain’s ability to think quickly and apply intelligence to verbal situations. Work to build up your brain power by engaging in plenty of healthy debate. Just ask someone who they are voting for in the presidential election and you’ll definitely provoke a debate!
• Take A Multivitamin — Vitamins are great for the brain, and if it does not get enough of a certain vitamin through daily diet, consider a multivitamin. Multivitamins help facilitate the functioning of a healthy body and enriched brain. Start popping a vitamin each morning for a while and chances are good that you’ll notice a difference!
• Drink Red Wine — Alcohol in moderation has been proven to be good for the brain. Why? It is rich in antioxidants — chemicals that actually protect the brain! One glass daily for women and two for men is generally considered a healthy amount.
•  Eat Healthy — You know what ‘healthy’ is, so why not eat healthy and improve your brain? The brain requires a certain amount of energy to reach it’s maximum level of functioning. Eating chocolate cake and chips instead of fish and legumes, well maybe that’s why you cannot think clearly.
•   Write An Article — Writing is linked to an improved memory and expression of thoughts. When you write, you are strengthening your brain’s natural ability to convey thoughts and feelings. Writing is a great way to exercise your ability to analyze and build a thought process with critical thinking. Journals, diaries, blog entries, and writing stories are phenomenal ways to fulfill your brain.
• Change Your Environment — To keep your brain properly stimulated, it is important to keep changing your environment. Drive a new route to work, eat at a new restaurant on Friday night. Changing the environment helps change the brain!
• Set Goals — Setting goals activates areas of the brain associated with positive thinking and action. Setting goals is great for achieving success and prosperity in life and boosting your brain.
• Be Empathetic — Being empathetic and trying to understand the emotions of others is a skill that your brain can learn. Being empathetic is definitely a powerful trait to have and allows your brain to relate to the emotions of others.
•   Avoid Stress — A little bit of stress will never hurt anybody. Too much stress actually causes detrimental increases in the hormone “cortisol” which in high levels, kills brain cells and suppresses brain functioning.
•   Think Positive — If you are currently very good at thinking positively, chances are good that you already have a more powerful brain than those “Negative Nellies.” Take 10 minutes daily to think more positive and start noticing an improvement in thinking abilities and problem solving skills.
• Visualize — Visualization has been associated with focus at a deeper level. Many successful athletes that are able to play “in the zone” actually visualize their game at a deeper level. Visualization has been linked to lowered stress, increased creativity, and peak mind-body performance.
• Get Some Sleep — Be sure to always fulfill your brain’s need for sleep. Sleep clears out mental clutter and unimportant thoughts. Getting a good night’s sleep can also be the difference between a sharp memory and feeling forgetful. Everyone has different sleep requirements, be sure to fulfill yours! If you don’t get enough sleep — you may want to take a nap…
• Do Self-Hypnosis — The power of hypnotic suggestion is definitely real. You can change aspects of your thought process and learn to shift your focus by taking the time to do some self-hypnosis. Hypnosis research shows that by practicing hypnosis, an individual experiences lowered stress, increased pain tolerance, and clear thinking. Try it out for yourself if you haven’t already!
• Do Crossword Puzzles — Crossword puzzles bring out your brain’s ability to critically think and recall past memories. The challenge of completing crossword puzzles is definitely mentally invigorating and stimulating. If you enjoy reading the newspaper, be sure to check out the daily crossword puzzles section and build up that brain power!
•  Eat Nuts — Brazil and South American University students swear by eating nuts before taking exams. They notice that eating them is correlated with an increase in test scores. New studies are beginning to prove nuts effectiveness at increasing brain power. If you do not eat a lot of nuts, try it sometime and reap the brain related benefits!
• Read Books — Reading books teaches your brain to adapt to absorb large amounts of information in shorter periods of time. Books challenge your thinking abilities and memorization skills, as well as boost vocabulary and critical thinking skills. Not only do you learn something from reading a book, but your brain power increases as you build up the book load.
•   Play “Brain Age” — New games like “Brain Age” for the nintendo DS and Big-Brain Academy help promote quick thinking and essential brain skills. These games work wonderful for improving thinking speed and natural problem solving skills. I’ve had a chance to play these games before and I can personally vouch for their effectiveness!
• Take A Nap – Taking a nap has been proven through research to significantly improve task-performance and thinking abilities. If you are feeling tired throughout the day and has time to take a quick nap, it is recommended. Naps are a wonderful refresher and quick little mental booster.
• Turn Off The T.V. – Watching T.V. may not be the only reason which rotting begins in the brain, but it is a key ingredient to the rotting process. A little T.V. will never hurt anybody, but it does definitely change brain functioning. The act of watching T.V. slows brainwaves and causes a decline in brain fitness.
• Paint A Picture — Being able to visualize where you want paint to go on paper sparks pure creativity from within. Painting is an exercise that gets the right-brain fully functioning and improves your creative side. If you haven’t tried painting a picture, give it a shot and notice that you’re likely to feel and be more creative.
• Start Crying — Don’t be afraid to cry when the time is right! Crying actually heals emotions and promotes healthy circulation within the brain. Those who are able to cry are actually cleansing the inside of their brain, which is another very healthy way to increase brain power.
•  Eat Less — Eating too much food has the effect of decreasing blood-flow to the brain and increasing blood-flow to the digestive system. Therefore, if you are able to cut-back on the total amount of food you consume, you will have enhanced brain functioning. In several lab studies, rats on a calorie-restricted diet had increased blood flow to their brains.
• Eat Breakfast — When kids who hadn’t eating breakfast for a while, began to eat breakfast, their math grades went up an entire letter grade (on average). Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day — it provides your body with fuel for the rest of the day. If you don’t have time to eat an entire breakfast in the morning, at least have some sort of snack… It could give your brain a powerful edge!
•  Go For A Walk — Exercise deifnitely benefits the brain, and walking is a great form of exercise that is easy and very effective for boosting brainpower. Walking puts your mind in a relaxed state of clear thought and brain function. Walking gives your brain a chance to wander and free itself from any troubling thoughts.
• Mimic Others — Being able to mimic other’s actions and talk activates several areas of the brain that are usually inactive. Mimicing others, if done in a fun, playful manner, can improve your brain power and the brain’s natural ability to adapt quickly when faced with new situations.
• Solve Puzzles — Solving puzzles is a great way to stimulate your brains ability to critically think and process information. Puzzles are thought provoking, challenging, and a fun activity. The great thing about puzzles is that they require activity in the left-hemisphere of the brain to work with, and transfer information to, the right hemisphere’s visual center of the brain. Want a more integrated brain? Solve a puzzle!
• Do Neurofeedback — Neurofeedback is a great way to learn to consciously control your brain wave patterns. Neurofeedback builds brain structure and helps promote flexibility within a brain’s neural network. Though neurofeedback is somewhat costly, if you’ve got enough money — it may very well be the best investment you can make for your brain!
• Cut Alcohol Consumption — Alcohol in moderation isn’t terrible for the brain, too much alcohol is damaging to brain health and function. If you want to boost brain power, cutting alcohol is a great way to do it. Alcohol can cause memory problems and encourage “foggy,” disorganized thinking.
• Live A Drug-Free Lifestyle — Everyone knows that drugs are bad for them. Drugs do not foster creativity, they kill creativity and deplete brain cells. Depending on the drug, effects can range from brain bleeding, to cell loss, to impairments in neural growth. Live drug free and keep your brain more powerful!
• Drink Fruit Juice — Drinking fruit juice revitalizes the brain and provides cells with a refreshing jolt of nutrients. Great juices to drink include: grape juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, and apple juice. Most juices provide your brain with vital nutrients which in turn, provide you with more mental energy and focus.
• Be Self-Aware — When you learn to let go of ego-driven and emotional aspects of life, rational thinking kicks in. Rational thinking will allow you to become self-aware, which in turn allows you to make better future decisions to achieve optimal brain health. Activities like meditation, self-hypnosis, and introspection allow us to increase our self-awareness.
• Take Gingko Biloba — Gingko Biloba has been scientifically researched and documented to significantly increase blood-flow to the brain. Gingko Biloba is a fairly inexpensive way to pump up your brain’s blood-flow. Increased blood flow to the brain is correlated with an increase in focus and problem solving. Try some Gingko Biloba and allow your brain to reap the benefits!
• Have Sex — having sex is a great way to naturally release vital hormones in the brain. When involved in a loving married relationship, having sex improves social connection as well as emotional intelligence. Sex is connecting, stress-relieving, and a great way to give your brain a boost. Chances are that sex will also improve your confidence and ability to think positively!
•   Sniff Some Basil — I personally haven’t tried this method, but there seem to be many claims testifying for Basil’s effectiveness at improving overall brain function. Either way, certain fragrances actually change brain functioning. Taking a whiff of peppermint speeds up brain functioning, while other fragrances actually slow things down! Since scent is the strongest thing tied to memory, some good fragrances can definitely help out brain functioning.
• Ask Questions — Asking questions is a phenomenal way to keep your brain in shape. Get in the habit of questioning others and their thoughts. Questions can provoke new thoughts and ideas and asking them is a great way to build up brain power!

There are several games to improve speed, attention, memory, focus, attention, maintain focus on important tasks, speed up cognitive processes, react quickly, avoid errors, multitask efficiently, communicate clearly , think outside the box, dissect complex arguments, to detail remember no two brains are alike, everyone has different brain need, so I would advise you work on your weak areas.

Check sites like www.luminosity.com  for Brain games

Tetris is a very good game to improve the brain