We may never fully unlock all the mysteries of the human brain – it is the most complex and brilliant computer ever designed.
Experts used to believe the brain was hardwired and that, unlike other organs, it could not repair itself or restore lost functions once damaged or diseased. However, the brain is neuroplastic – activity and mental experience can be used to change the structure of the connections within it.
Equipped with this knowledge, new strategies are being used to radically improve, and even sometimes cure, some brain problems that were previously seen as irreversible.
Some of these ideas can also be used in everyday life to improve our brain’s health and performance. Try the ideas below to keep your brain sharp and receptive.
Exercise every day – even just a short one
Regular exercise, such as walking, has been shown to be a key factor in reducing the risk of dementia by 60%. If animals go on very long walks, they are often trying to seek out a new, unexplored territory in which to live. They may be escaping a predator or searching for a new food source. Due to all the new stimuli, the brain, in anticipation of learning, releases growth factors, which act like growth-promoting fertiliser in the brain, allowing it to build connections between cells more easily as it learns.
Steady walking has the same effect on us, encouraging our brains to enter a more neuroplastic state. Gentle exercise is all that is required; walking three kilometres, or cycling 16km, most days of the week.
Learn a new dance (or language or musical instrument)
As we get older, and particularly as we enter middle age, we learn less, so our brains can become lazy. We repeat well mastered skills. Learning something different stimulates the brain, and encourages growth. These activities engage a part of the brain called the nucleus basalis, which is responsible for helping us to pay attention and to consolidate new connections in the brain when we learn. Ideally, practise daily for an hour or so.
Do serious brain exercises
As we get older, our brains become more “noisy”. They are not as good at registering new information with clear, strong signals, and it becomes harder to retain information that was registered in a “muddy” way. Check out the brain games on GrownUps to give your brain a workout.
Get the rest your body needs
When you sleep, your brain and body can repair. Studies show that during sleep, brain cells called glia open up special channels that allow waste products and toxic buildup in the brain – including the same proteins that build up in dementia – to be eliminated. On top of this, while we sleep, newly formed connections — between neurons that are created by the learning that we did the day before — become consolidated and made more durable. A nap can improve your ability to remember and recall facts more easily. If you don’t sleep well at night, a nap during the day may help keep you sharp.
- 9 years ago
I found the brain article very interesting and even learnt new things.
Just one question you may be able to expand on for me if you can.
Towards the end you mentioned the importance of sleep and suggested that if unable to get enough sleep at night then have an afternoon nap.
Now my question.
In spite of me being on heavy epilepsy medication which are sedatives I still have insomnia and take sleeping tablets virtually every night. I have tried the afternoon nap idea but have found that when I do that it has ‘taken the edge off’ and I have even more trouble at night!
Do you have any suggestions, I would appreciate it if you can help