If you want to grow stronger you have to work your muscles: break them down and rebuild them. We spend billions on diets, workouts, gym memberships, and even chemicals to grow our muscles, but do we spend end 1/4 of the time building the most complex muscle that we have, our brain? I have come to believe that you must train your brain in a similar way to training your muscles. So here are 5 ways to workout and train your brain.
1. Meditation
Structured meditation, spending 15-20 minutes of quiet, focused relaxation and breathing, can not only help build up your brain, it can reduce stress! A recent study showed an increased concentration of gray matter in the brain, especially in the regions involved emotion regulation. Another study revealed that patients who practiced mindful meditation, defined as a focus on the present, experienced decreased stress symptoms for up to a year later. And not just that, they experienced a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate.
Application: Sit quietly and try to concentrate only on your breathing for 10-20 minutes with no distractions or outside stimulation.
2. Read
Reading is not only fundamental, it’s essential for brain health. Studies have show that reading a variety of books and periodicals challenges the brain to think in new directions and absorb new concepts and information. Reading not only activates and stimulates, it increases the volume of white matter in the language area of the brain. And reading has also been shown to reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Application: Always carry a book/magazine with you. It’s amazing how much time you have waiting in line at the store or at the doctor’s office. You can also carve out 20 minutes of that lunch hour you have.
3. Exercise
Of course, exercise is great for your body, but did you know exercise also helps your brain? Christin Anderson, MS, wellness and fitness coordinator of the University of San Francisco, explains that exercise affects many sites within the nervous system and sets off pleasure chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that make us feel calm, happy, and euphoric. Exercise has also shown to lessen the affects of adult ADHD and depression!
Application: Go for a 20-30 minute walk/run/swim/bike ride..or anything. GET OFF THE COUCH AND DO SOMETHING!!! Just 8-12 minutes of mildly moderate exercise can return massive dividends.
4. Solve Puzzles
According to Dr. Gary Small, UCLA researcher and author of The Longevity Bible, mental exercise can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and increase your brain’s efficiency. Solving mind puzzles and brain teasers not only helps with reasoning ability and cognitive deductions, but they can also build language skills and mental stability.
Application: download a free Sudoku or cross-word app on your smart phone or iPad and complete one puzzle a day. Or spend a couple bucks at the checkout stand in your local grocery store and buy a book of puzzles. And make sure you carry it with you…everywhere!
5. Spend QUALITY Time Thinking
I know this sounds oxymoronic, but we spend a lot of our days thinking about everything, and nothing at all. Every day we are flooded with information and statistics. Before lunch we’re made dozens of phone calls, returned tons of emails, had several meetings, and made countless decisions. But do we really spend any of that time strategically thinking?
Application: Set aside 1 hour a day to think about a single issue. Start with something like a goal or perhaps your next vacation. Where do you want to be in the next year? What is the next goal you want to set, work for, and accomplish. Figure THAT out and work backwards from there, to where you are today.
These are not just some simple suggestions, this is what I do on a daily basis and I have found work for me. You’re results may not be the same as mine, but I would love to hear of any progress you make in training your brain!
