We exercise regularly to make sure that our body is always in top shape and we’re healthy. We nurture our skin and our muscles but there’s one area we typically neglect – our brain. Like any other part of the body, we also need to make sure that our brain is operating at its optimal best but we tend to forget to give our brains a workout. Over the years our brains begin to fail us. But it doesn’t have to be so. With a proper and regular workout, we can keep our brains sharp. Below are some tips that will help in boosting your brainpower.
One of the simplest things you can do to boost your brainpower is to deviate from your normal routine. This doesn’t just mean taking a different route going to the office or choosing a different kind of tea for breakfast. Make drastic routine changes that may sound crazy like using your left hand to write (if you’re right handed), walking backwards or play a handheld game with the device turned upside down. Deviating from an established routine will stimulate the brain and force it to make new neural connections.
Another crazy sounding tip that studies prove actually works is working less. A recent study showed that people who work for 55 hours a week or more scored lower in vocabulary and reasoning tests, compared to people who worked for just 35 to 40 hours a week. One reason posited is that more work hours mean more stress that can lead to the brain functioning more slowly.
Proper hydration can actually help boost your brainpower. The brain is composed mainly of water – 80 percent, in fact. By keeping your body properly hydrated the neurons can perform at their best. So don’t forget to drink your eight glasses of water everyday.
Dance! Dancing is one activity that engages your brain in many different ways. Dancing is not just about moving your body and your extremities. You need to be coordinated and organized when dancing while also engaging the planning and judgement centers of your brain.
If there’s one predictable tip in this article it is limiting your TV time. TV does make you stupid. Studies indicate that men who watch television for more than two hours a day are more prone to develop Alzheimer’s Diseases when they grow old. So chuck that remote control and just dance.