Today’s trend in brain care – exercise!
After all, the older you get, the more important it is to not only keep your body fit, but to stay mentally alert. Yes, to keep a healthy brain and help your brain stay in optimum shape, it needs exercise.
If we compared your body to a computer, the brain would be the operating system. Now a fancy keyboard, huge monitor and big tower doesn’t give you much of a computer if there’s no operating system to make it all run. Is similar fashion, if your body is in good working order, but you don’t know it, that’s not much help is it? So most people want to keep their memory sharp, no matter how old they are.
There are many strategies to help keep your brain in top working order. No doubt some work better than others, but here are three commonly recommended ones…
Practice Optimism
Maybe a pessimist has something to be pessimistic about because it turns out optimists live longer. People who scored high for optimism on a personality test given during a Mayo Clinic study were found to have fewer physical and emotional problems. They were also 50% more likely to survive another 30 years. Wow!
Live In The Moment
Staying aware of your thoughts and bodily sensations promotes the health of both your brain and body. It helps prevent accidents or overeating, for instance, because you’re paying closer attention to what you are doing at any given moment.
Think Hard
Research isn’t conclusive on this, but there is evidence that suggests giving your brain a mental work-out will help it stay sharp. Hey, it couldn’t hurt!
However, that means more than doing Sudoku or crossword puzzles that are easy for you. The key is to challenge your brain and make it stretch a little.
The Three Brainercizes
In light of that, the following Brainercises are recommended:
- Brainercise #1 – Think positive! Seriously, try focusing on your strengths. Think about what’s good in your life, instead of dwelling on things that went wrong or might go wrong. Focus on achievable goals.
- Brainercise #2 – Pay attention to what your doing NOW instead of thinking about past problems, or worrying about the future. If you find yourself in a frenzy over past or future, take some time in the now to sit still for a few minutes, take some slow, deep breaths, and focus in on the present. Remember, we can’t change the past, we don’t know what the future will bring, we only have the present given to us. Make your present a gift, and focus in on it.
- Brainercise #3 – Challenge your brain! If you like Sudoku or crossword puzzles, choose ones that will make you work your brain a little. Go for puzzles that are challenging, but not so hard you can’t finish them. Try learning something new. You could even try some “Scientific Brain Training: Lumosity Brain Fitness Program.“ (It’s only $6.60 a month!)
Just do something to give your brain a work-out instead of schlepping along doing the same stuff all the time.
Brain Power To The Max
That sounds simple, but of course, sometimes life’s demands make it hard to think positively, or focus on the present, or take time to challenge your brain. Few things are possible to do 100% of the time, but if you strive to practice these three brainercises on a regular basis, you’ll help keep your brain in good shape.
So Stay Alert, cause the you know the world needs more Lerts!
P.S. It’s also makes life easier to cultivate a sense of humor.
REFERENCES
The Longevity Bible: 8 Essential Strategies for Keeping Your Mind Sharp and Your Body Young by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan
Bottom Line’s Health Breakthroughs 2008
