Lifestyle
What Your Brain Needs to Function at Its Best
Just like a plant that needs watering and sunlight, our brain needs the right materials and experiences in order for it to grow and be of optimal use.
A lot of people nowadays engage in gym activities in order to improve their muscles–most tend to forget the importance of exercising not only the muscles but also the brain. The brain must be fed and exercised as regularly as the muscles to maintain optimum mental health which is an essential part of our lives especially in old age.
Here are seven types of experiences that will help your brain to function at its best. It is ideal that these be done every day to acquire not only the short term but also the long term benefits of a healthy mental health.
1. Socialize–your brain needs to connect with people or the environment. This allows different areas of the brain to activate.
2. Deep focus–this happens when we are solving difficult and complex problems and doing work. Deep focus is essential as it involves the spontaneous activation of important parts of the brain.
3. Down time–involves doing relaxing tasks, non-goal focused tasks; it allows your mind to reflect and wander, therefore allowing it to recover and it also provides space for unconscious connections to surface.
4. Play/have fun–allows interesting connections in the brain to form; follows that the brain needs not all work but also play.
5. Reflect–involves reflecting on thoughts or meditating; it allows the brain to reorganize and allows you to think about your thinking.
6. Sweat–exercise or physical activities help oxygenate the brain and detoxify the body which is again important in the proper functioning of the brain.
(Image credit: www.thedavidshoup.com)
7. Get the right amount of sleep–sleep is not only rest time but it also involves the active reorganization of the brain to prepare it for the day. (Adapted by Daryll Arcayan)
Photo above: Socialize. Your brain needs to connect with people or the environment for this allows different areas of the brain to activate. (Image credit: www.sheknows.com)
