The same way you go to the gym and work on the fitness of your body through exercises, you can improve the fitness of your brain by regularly doing activities that train your mind. When you train your brain properly you’ll be able to stretch the limit of your mind. When you utilize the right brain activities you’ll eventually start improving your memory, reflexes, creativity, your ability to process information and a lot more. Check out these fitness tips made specifically for your brain.
Perform Reconstructive Activities
Reconstructing something like an image or what a person said can help you improve your memory and increase all levels of brain operation. It is considered one of the top brain health activities. Head out to a Zoo or art gallery and get a tour. As you go through the tour make sure you listen to everything the tour guide is telling you. Try to pay attention to every little detail of the tour and once the tour concludes try to remember everything until you reach home.
Once you are home try to write down everything you remember from the tour on a piece of paper. This simple activity will improve your overall brain function and ability to receive and recollect things easily.
Another thing you can try to reconstruct in your mind is a certain song that you like. Listen to a song as much as you can until you have memorized it word for word. This will help your mind develop great thinking and remembering skills.
Reconstruction activities will release beneficial chemicals in your brain like neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a main carrier of thoughts and memory in your brain. Without enough acetylcholine in your brain you won’t be able to focus on anything for too long, and both your storage and memory will suffer.
One of the best ways to release more acetylcholine into your brain is to perform an activity that requires you to use your eyes. Pick a location somewhere outside like a park or you can even do it inside your home. Now sit down somewhere and look directly in front of you while trying to focus on everything you view. Don’t turn your head or move your eyes, just look straight ahead. Remain in this position for 10 to 15 minutes and then when done take a pen and list everything you saw on this list. This is another effective reconstruction activity that will help reduce memory loss and fight off symptoms of conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Learn A New Instrument
Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a certain instrument but you never made it a priority? Well, if you are trying to sharpen up your mind now is a good time to start learning. When you learn how to play an instrument it’ll improve your memory, brain processing, and even help with hearing.
The reason why learning a new instrument will improve your brain’s ability to remember things is because you have to learn about things like scores and tones when you learn music, which will train your brain to store more information than before.
Do Your Math
Most people are intimidated by math while they’re in school and try to avoid this subject as much as possible. However, solving math problems (even simple ones) can help you stimulate your brain. The key to using simple math problems to improve your brain health is to do them as fast as you can. When you use your brain to solve creative problems quickly your brain will begin operating at a much faster rate and slow down the effects of aging.
Sudoku
Sudoku is a logic based puzzle that can improve your brain function dramatically. This activity will mainly help the left side of your brain, which is the logic area. People who frequently play the Sudoku game report that their mind feels sharper and they are more alert. Brain health experts recommend playing games like Sudoku in order to keep your brain operating at a high level when you’re old. You can find Sudoku in most newspapers at least once every week.
Learn How to Use Your Off Hand
Believe it or not, but learning to use your secondary hand can have a great effect on your brain. If you are left handed try using your right hand to do simple things, and if you’re right handed try to use your left. Doing this activity as often as you can will help your brain learn a new and more challenging way of doing things.
This will force your brain to make a positive change. Start with something as simple as brushing your teeth. Learn to brush your teeth everyday with your off hand and eventually your brain will adapt to this change. Continue to learn how to do more challenging tasks with your secondary hand to keep challenging your brain and improving its processing power.
Image Credit: Mark Sebastian
