Food for Thought - 10 Tips to a Better Brain
You've probably heard the expression, "We only use 10% of our brains", right? Well, that isn't exactly true, but there are some things you can do to improve that often misunderstood clump of gray matter up there.
Tip #1
You understand that in order to get bigger and stronger you have to work out your arms, legs, chest, abs, back, etc. right? Well, your brain isn’t any different. OK, maybe a little…..it’s not going to get “cut up†and start expanding out of your skull if you work it out, but it can get stronger, faster, and more efficient.
Tip #2
Just because you’re awake, it doesn’t mean your brain has stopped hitting the snooze button yet. If you don’t give your brain a chance to rev up first thing in the morning, then it’s probably gotten used to sleeping in a little bit longer than you do. Besides being dangerous (see how many accidents there are on the way to work?), it also makes you less efficient for the rest of the day. It’s important to kick start your brain in the morning, so that when you actually need it, it’s already up and running at optimal speed. It doesn’t matter how you do it, but just do something to make yourself less of a brainless zombie. Do a few crossword clues in the morning paper, or do a quick Sudoku puzzle. Just do anything that takes more thought than brushing your pearly whites. You will notice a difference for the entire day, and be more efficient during those first few groggy hours in the office.
Tip #3
Next time you can’t remember a small detail or fact, try darting your eyes back and forth from side to side. I learned about this a few weeks ago, and have been amazed at how well it works. The science behind it is that everyone’s brain has a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere. These two halves need to communicate constantly to get you through your daily life. However, the connection between most people’s left and right hemispheres isn’t as strong as it could be. Darting your eyes from side to side helps to strengthen this connection long enough to recall what you’re looking for. I’ve used this technique at least 5-10 times since I learned it, and it’s worked every time. And it only takes a few seconds of looking like I’m having a stroke!
Tip #4
Need to remember a speech for a meeting or all the state capitals for a test tomorrow? Your brain does most of its daily “filing†and “sorting†while you sleep. It takes all the little things you’ve experienced that day, and stores them in the different areas of your mind dedicated to that piece of information. So, if you review and read over things you need to remember at night right before going to sleep, this information will be fresh, and receive higher priority when being stored away.
Tip #5
In the case of “Man vs. Machineâ€, when it comes to the brain, man (or woman) wins! The human brain has about 1000 times the memory capacity of even the biggest, baddest computer! The way we store information is also more efficient, because our memories (files) are spread out over multiple neurons, so even if we lose a few neurons (megabytes), it doesn’t affect our ability to recover that information.
Tip #6
Testosterone appears to play an important role in strengthening the connections between neurons. The better and stronger those connections are, the faster and more efficiently your brain can work. So, while you’re pumping that iron and boosting your testosterone levels, you’re literally “working out†your brain at the same time.
Tip #7
Over 60% of your brain is used for your sense of sight. This is why many people can remember things that they’ve seen more easily than things that they’ve heard. You can use this to your advantage by creating a visual image of things you want to remember. The more bizarre or creative your vision, the more it will stand out in your mind for quicker recall. Let’s say you have a quick trip to the grocery store, and you need milk, eggs, sausage, bacon, orange juice, biscuits, and syrup. Imagine Jessica Alba with a milk mustache smashing eggs with a can of biscuit dough then pouring syrup in her orange juice and drinking it while flipping sausage and bacon in the pan. Believe me, that’s not an image you will easily forget!
Tip #8
Your brain sometimes tells your body to stop or slow down, even when your body doesn’t need to just yet. When you’re running as fast as you can, or pumping out those last few gut-busting reps, your muscles are sending signals to your brain saying, “Wow, this is hard!â€. In response, your brain sends signals back saying, “Yeah, you should probably stop now so we don’t get hurt.†While sometimes this can be a good thing to help prevent injury or exhaustion, more often than not, your brain is a little too overprotective and throws in the towel a little too soon. Try to focus all your energy in that one moment to push through and finish.
Tip #9
You just finished sucking down that Slurpee or milkshake, and now you’re paying for it, “Brainfreeze!â€. It’s actually just the roof of your mouth that’s freezing, but since it’s close to your brain, your body overheats the brain to protect it. So, next time, press your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth, and cover as much of it as you can. This will heat it up, thus taking your brain out of panic mode.
Tip #10
If you made it all the way here to #10 in the “Brain†section, you are probably more open-minded and intrigued by the workings of the mind than those who skipped straight to the more action-packed “Dating†and “Sex†sections. So, chances are you may have already heard of this, but if you haven’t, you will thoroughly enjoy learning more about Quantum Physics. Do a quick search on Google and/or Amazon, and you will have enough information to keep you enthralled for weeks.
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Comments
if you are into Sudoku you shall check out Kakuro which is a new puzzle game that's getting popular lately :-)
Russel
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