Entries Tagged 'Brain Gym' ↓

One of the best things you can do for your brain is to dedicate at least 15 minutes a day for invigorating mental stimulation. Reading informative literature is one simple way for you to improve the efficiency of your brain. Denser readings that take more comprehension to digest and process into the brain can create the kind of mental stimulus that is beneficial to a higher functioning brain.  Crossword puzzles are another great tool you can use to create more activity in your brain thereby, reinforcing the synaptic transmissions between your neurons.

It seems the iPhone has come out with a plethora of applications to meet the needs for almost anyone and anything.  This includes a brain building application/game called Brain Challenge.  I’ve played a few of the iPhone Apps that were geared toward stimulating the brain and Brain Challenge was the only one that stood out to me. The graphical interface is very intuitive and full of an array of enticing brain stimulating activities. Brain Challenge applies a Daily Test for you to measure up how you’ve been performing. Your first Daily Test results will serve as a benchmark from which you can use to better your scores on a progressive basis. The Training Room is divided into 2 categories: Brain Training and Stress Training. The Brain Training section is filled with Logic, Math, Memory, Visual and Focus games. The Stress Training consists of Authority, Multitask, and Physical. As you can see, Brain Challenge is a comprehensive program that challenges and stimulates the brain on various levels of thinking.

One really nice feature of Brain Challenge are the Brain and Stress Charts. The charts make it fun and easy to visualize your progress and is also effective in determining what areas you may need to focus more attention. Brain Challenge makes mental stimulation fun and challenging at the same time.

For those of you who don’t have an iPhone, there is a Brain Teasers section on the right side of this page. I’ve sifted through hundreds of brain teaser sites and found these 3 to be the most beneficial and enriching. So, whatever your fancy; reading, crosswords, Brain Challenge, make sure you stimulate that brain of yours for at least 15 minutes a day.

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Having the brain at the very top of our bodies means that blood flow must constantly fight gravity to nourish our brain and feed it the oxygenated blood that replenish our cells. I stumbled upon the practice of inversion while experimenting with various method to reduce or eliminate my lower back pain which has recently become more chronic than acute. The effects of inversion not only relieved me of my lower back pain, these sessions of inversion or traction revealed other benefits that came as a pleasant surprise.

A few nights back, I had a few drinks and the next morning, the hangover ensued. In my attempt at a healthier lifestyle, I have reserved the consumption of alcohol for social settings and given the recreational drinking a proper burial. This has led to a dramatic decrease in alcohol tolerance thus, more prone to the dreaded hangover. Despite the deep throbbing pain in my head, I pushed myself out of bed using the very techniques that I outlined in “5 Tips to Getting Out of Bed” I had been performing traction every morning for the past week and I wasn’t about to let this hangover derail me from positive actions toward a pain free lower back.  By the way, I have what is called a Teeter Hang Ups inversion table.

So, I gather the will power to strap my ankles in and go for a ride on my Teeter Hang Ups.  Personally, I thought having gravity pump more blood to my brain sounded like it might be more painful than soothing for this hangover that made me to grit my teeth on occasion.  Within seconds of hanging upside down, the throbbing subsided and the pain from the headache was steadily dissipating with each passing second.  I couldn’t believe what I was experiencing.  Not only did my head feel much better, my sinuses cleared and breathing became effortless.  The increased airflow now allowed through my nostrils invigorated me.  I could literally feel the effects of the more oxygenated blood into my system.  I could imagine my brain enjoying its bath in richly oxygenated blood to aid in the repair of damaged cells.  Everything that transpires in your body when upside down gives your body the opportunity to replenish your brain with richly oxygenated blood while bathing it in nutrient rich blood.  During inversion, the spine is allowed to decompress thus, giving your spinal fluid an opportunity to travel to those places usually inaccessible due to gravitational compression of the spine.  A healthy spinal nervous system contributes to a healthy and highly functioning brain.

Many of you may not have an inversion table readily available to you.  In this case, inversion can be performed through various yoga poses – shoulder stands, head stands, hand stands (please refer to a specialist or at the very least, be careful if you are attempting these poses for the first time).  For me, I feel that the Teeter Hang Ups table is the most convenient and relaxing  way to achieve the upside down pose.  So, give your brain a treat and bath her in your very own elixir of oxygen and nutrient rich blood.  Whichever way you end up upside down, hang loose and be well!

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A friend of mine read my recent post on 10 Minutes of Cardio to a Better Brain and brought up a really, really, good point – How to leave the comfort and  warmth of your bed in the morning.  For many of us, waking up has just never been our strong suit.  With these 5 sure fire tips for getting out of bed, you will be creating a better mindset and environment for achieving the dream of waking up (OK, you got me, guilty of pun) with minimal grumpiness.

1. Waking up with less effort starts the night before.  It is extremely important to get the suggested optimal sleep time of about 8 hours.  We all know what time we have to get up, it’s simple math, just turn back the clock 8 hours from when you are supposed to be up and you have your target bedtime.  I understand that life situations and circumstance can cut into the recommended 8 hours of sleep but, I must emphasize that ample sleep time is crucial for waking up with less effort.
2. Keep your blinds open and curtains drawn.  We are sensitive to photo stimuli and that most certainly includes mother nature’s light bulb we commonly refer to as the Sun.  The sunlight stimulates brain activity and prepares it for waking consciousness by releasing wake up hormones that readies us for full consciousness.  The light is a friend, use her as an ally.
3. Keep a glass of water by your bedside.  Drinking a glass of water upon waking dramatically increases your success rate for hopping out of bed.  The hydration gets the electrolytes going thus, priming your body and brain for conscious awareness.
4. Keep your alarm clock out of arm’s reach.  As a reader of the Better Brain Blog, I assume you all understand the reasoning behind this.
5. Stay away from the Snooze button.  Getting out of bed gets easier as it develops and transforms into a habit.  Like most new habits that are being forged, it may take a few weeks for your body and mind to adjust.

Now, let’s review the key tips to successfully getting out of bed.

• Allow yourself 8 hours of sleep time
• Keep your curtains and blinds drawn
• Glass of water by bedside
• Alarm clock out of arm’s reach
• Stay away from the Snooze

Allot yourself ample sleep time and let the natural light release the wake up hormones in your brain.  The glass of water seems negligible but, I cannot stress how much of a difference there is after drinking that glass of water.  Good habits are hard to break cause they’re hard to make.  And don’t forget to move that alarm clock out of arm’s reach.  Each new morning is yet another opportunity to learn how to wake up with minimal effort.  If you’ve read this far, the seeds of positive change have already been planted within your subconscious mind.  With visualization and intention, these seeds of positive change will flourish into habits that will only lead to an overwhelming sense of well being.

Tip: Waking at the same time everyday is excellent for syncing your Circadian rhythms.  Your Circadian rhythms are often referred to as your internal clock.  You may not believe in yourself just yet but, over time and unwavering commitment, getting out of bed will become second nature.  The rhythm is gonna get’ya, tonight!

Good luck and Good Night to All!

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Most of us wake up to that most annoying alarm clock, desperately seeking that heaven-sent Snooze button. If you should find that Snooze button in your groggy state, you may, at best, get another 10 minutes of shut eye, only to have that cacophonous buzz go off in our ears for the second time in the same morning. If waking up is painful to you, then waking up twice should be excruciating. I was once a Snoozer but, have opted for a much more uplifting alternative – 10 minutes of Cardio. You may be wondering how physical activity will make you less tired and groggy. Going for a 10 minute jog is probably the last thing on most people’s minds upon getting up for work. I’ve made the switch and try to commit to performing 10 minutes of Cardio before I get my day started.

When the human body engages in cardio activity, certain hormones are released that otherwise stay dormant. The human body was built for physical activity. When the body’s heart rate begins to increase, a few things begin to happen within the human brain. Cardio exercise has been linked to the regeneration of neurons – the core building blocks of the brain. For you science freaks out there, this process is called neurogenesis. The number of neurons in your brain can contribute to improved brain function by increasing the number of possible conduits for a synaptic transmission. With an increase in neurons, the brain has more “opportunities” to create a synaptic transmission between these neurons. These synaptic transmissions are responsible for thought formation and motor skills. With increased synaptic activity, your brain has no choice but to operate at a higher level.

As if the regeneration of neurons wasn’t enough to get you out of bed and into your running sneakers, I offer to you – Endorphins. Endorphins act as our body’s natural pain reliever and anti-depressant. During sustained strenuous activities, endorphins are released as a response to the discomfort one may experience. This gives us the mental edge that allows us to continue performing strenuous activities. The term endorphin originates from the short forms of the words endogenous and morphine (that’s right, morphine) – literally meaning “a morphine like substance originating from within the body.” These endorphins ultimately lead to a sense of happiness and well-being.

The effects of the endorphins can typically be felt after about 3 minutes of moderate jogging. Those first 3 minutes can feel like an eternity until the endophins kick in. Listening to uptempo music with your eyes closed (granted you’re on a treadmill) while focusing on your breath can get you through those first 3 minutes without you even breaking a sweat (figuratively speaking).

So, the next time your alarm clock goes off, reach for your running sneakers and skip the Snooze.

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