In order to stay sharp, it is important that you exercise your brain. The less we use our minds, the duller they become. There is a lot of emphasis these days on staying physically healthy, but we should also be concerned for our mental well-being. Our brains continue to expand and adapt to the stimuli they receive throughout our lives. The more we take care of our brains, the better thinkers we become. Here are twenty ways that you can develop a training regimen for your brain!
1. Read a good book.
Reading a book stimulates the imagination. Your brain can’t keep from drawing mental pictures when you read. Reading gets your mind off its butt and to work. I love to let a book carry me away. I always have a book that I’m reading and sometimes I have 3 or 4! I get most of my books from the library to avoid the cost of buying each one. This also allows me to try a wide variety of books without risk.
2. Big Brain Academy.
Video games have a bad reputation for causing brain rot, but there are some that will actually help you strengthen your mind. I like Big Brain Academy for the Wii. It is a collection of brain teasers that tests your mental acuity. The tests are entertaining and addicting. You can even compete with others which makes for some great family fun.
3. Practice meditation.
Don’t worry, I’m not going off the new age deep-end here. There are a lot of different forms of meditation. To me, in its most simple form, meditation is about spending a little time alone to relax and center your thoughts. It is amazingly therapeutic. If you haven’t tried meditation before, I would highly recommend reading this guide to meditation.
4. Get plenty of rest.
A lack of sleep can interfere with your ability to assimilate new information. This means those all-nighters you pulled back in college were much less effective than you thought. Your brain needs rest to operate at its peak performance. This may be why things always seem clearer and brighter after a good night’s sleep.
5. Exercise regularly.
You didn’t think you were going to get away without a little time on the treadmill did you? Cardiovascular exercise improves blood flow to the brain which improves brain functioning. One study found that physical exercise actually helped to increase the volume of the brain. So, if you want a bigger, better brain, then get to exercising!
6. Eat a good breakfast.
It is not a myth. Eating a good breakfast does get you off to a better start. You should eat a breakfast high in protein and good carbohydrates. A couple of pieces of whole-grain toast with peanut butter will fit the bill. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. Nuts, milk, and fresh fruit are also great ways to feed your brain.
7. Think positive thoughts.
Encourage yourself. I am convinced that positive thinking increases the effectiveness of the brain and helps to avoid things like depression. I like to say that your brain works much like a computer, garbage-in, garbage-out. Find positive, encouraging people to hang around, read material that jazzes you up, do whatever it is that makes you feel good about yourself. These things will also help you be more mentally productive.
8. Be a continual learner.
Never stop being curious about your world. Seek out new experiences, skills, and knowledge. Think of something that you’ve always wanted to learn to do and then get started. A now famous study, showed that certain areas of the brains of London cab drivers were more developed compared to the average citizen. This was due to their need to learn how to navigate the maze of downtown streets. We can use this technique of challenging our brains to improve our abilities.
9. Lay off the alcohol.
Alcohol is of course a depressant. It slows down mental functions. The effects of alcohol on a person’s cognitive ability is well-documented. If you need peak mental performance, then stop drinking alcohol. In addition to its obvious effects, it also decreases the restfulness of one’s sleep which, as we have already discussed, impedes your ability to think clearly.
10. Get romantic (especially if you’re a woman).
Studies have shown that there may be a link between regular sex and improved brain performance in women. Love-making increases a woman’s estrogen levels and higher estrogen levels are tied to better mental performance. Of course, the mental benefits probably do not outweigh the risks, unless you are in a faithful, monogamous relationship.
11. Break your routines.
Drive a new way to work. Try writing with your less dominant hand. Mix things up a little. This perks up your brain because it requires you to think more. You aren’t just running on auto-pilot. Challenge your brain by getting out of your routines and it will respond. This is a great way to get your mental juices flowing.
12. Stop watching so much television.
Researchers have found that too much television between the ages of 1 and 3 leads to attention problems later in childhood. Let’s face it, TV is mind-numbing. Get up off the couch and away from the television. Sure, there is some good educational stuff for children and adults, but the average American watches way too much TV. If you want peak mental performance, then turn off the boob tube.
13. Work with numbers.
Do math problems in your head instead of on a calculator. For many of us, it is use it or lose it. We have become mentally lazy. We rely on our gadgets instead of thinking for ourselves. Working with and memorizing numbers is a great way to get your brain back in shape. This could pay off big dividends down the road!
14. Stop relying on your GPS to tell you where to go.
Remember the cab drivers in #8 above? Using your brain to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B is good mental exercise. You have to use your brain’s ability to determine spatial relationships to effectively read a map and navigate a city. Traveling in an unfamiliar area is even better!
15. Recall old memories.
Get out those old picture albums and start thumbing through them. This taps into your brains memory banks. Pictures will help you recall things that you thought you forgot. Dig deep to see just what all you remember. If you have other ways to stimulate your memory, like old letters or home movies, then by all means use those too.
16. Make beautiful music.
Learning to play a musical instrument is a great way to super-charge your brain. It requires a number of different parts of your brain to work together to make the melodies that you desire. Of course, if you are already a musician, then learn a new piece. Push yourself to learn new techniques. Music is a great workout for the mind.
17. Speak a new tongue.
Many people agree that learning to a speak a new language is a powerful way to give the mind a stretch. If you’ve ever tried to learn even a few new words, then you know this can be difficult. Of course, the harder something is for the brain, the better! You have so much more mental capacity than you might imagine. Give it a try!
18. Memorize a song.
Many of us have lots of old songs stored in our heads, but why not expand your memory by learning a few new tunes? It may take awhile at first, but if you keep at it, you will find it gets easier. This is your brain getting back in shape.
19. Walk around the house blindfolded.
It might seem like a strange activity, but your brain can handle it. Once you try it a few times, you will probably find it fun and challenging. Again, this one draws on your memory, motor skills, and reasoning abilities. What a workout!
20. Expand your vocabulary.
Decide to learn one new word a day. There are several websites out there that can help you with this endeavor. You’ll not only be expanding your mind, but you’ll also be able to impress your friends and co-workers when you work one of your new words into a conversation.
Get started today and be smarter tomorrow!
There you have it! I have just given you 20 very practical ways to sharpen your mind. These suggestions will have your brain back in tip-top shape in no time. Why are you waiting? It is time to start exercising your mental muscles!
How do you keep your brain in perfect working order?
Photo by Gaetan Lee
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I do most of those inadvertently–just part of my life. Two the really stuck out were exercise regularly and play a musical instrument. I would encourage everyone to find the form of exercise they enjoy the most and do that–best therapy in the world. I like weight lifting.
As far as musical instruments go: guitar? I’m slightly biased as guitar makes me my living, but it’s a great instrument. Very accessible. Every adult starting play should try lessons for a few months–you’d be surprised how much more quickly an adult student gets obsessed with learning and practicing than a younger child does. Also go right along with memorizing a song. Most people can memorize and play from memory their favorite rock/pop songs after a few months.
-CD
Great ideas for developing and exercising our brains to its fullest potential. Oh, and I’ve been telling my wife #10 was true for years, but she never believed me. I think I’ll forward your article to her!
These are some great ideas for stimulating the mind. I’m gonna have to try Big Brain Academy for the Wii, sounds pretty entertaining.
Stumbled!
Great list, Jeff. I especially agree with the music piece – not only can you get better at your current instrument or learn a new piece, but learning a different one opens all sorts of new mental pathways, as well.
Stumbled! – keep up the great work.
Hi, Jeff.
This really is a great list. You’ve covered all the bases. And the research out there has begun to demonstrate just how important it is for us to look after our brains.
People reading your list may also be interested in Susanne Jaeggi and Martin Buschkuehl’s study on Improving Fluid Intelligence by Training Working Memory (PNAS April 2008) which recorded increases in mental agility (fluid intelligence) of more than 40% after 19 days of focused brain training.
I was so impressed that I contacted the research team and developed a software program using the same method so that anyone can achieve these improvements at home.
IQ Training Program
martin
mind evolve, llc
These are excellent ideas! I think reading is a really huge one for keeping sharp. Ken Follett all the way!
Some I had never thought of either, like walking around the house in a blindfold but the best might be the stop watching so much TV one. I find that I get into a creative slump when I watch too much TV.
Again, you have a great site!
I have to second meditation (naturally) its great for cleansing the palette so you can concentrate on something entirely. I also second Big Brain Academy, its fun and learning together!
Zendad
http://www.zendad.net
I have to agree with a lot of these, especially meditation and turning off the tv. In looking at people in my family who drink a lot of alcohol and watch television most of their free time, I can see the difference. Learning a new language, traveling to somewhere unfamiliar – that makes your brain work.
@Everyone – Thanks for all your comments! I also appreciate the Stumbles and Diggs. It is good to know that so many people are interested in improving their minds!
Hooray for #10!
I actually played Big Brain Academy tonight. I really wish there was more variety to it. It’s not like I’ve mastered the game, but I’m pretty much over counting those red and blue balls and telling the train where to go. Have you tried Brain Age? I’m wondering if that might be a better fit for me…
Walking around the house blindfolded? I never would’ve thought of that, but you just gave me something to do this weekend. There will be bruises. Oh yes. There will be bruises.
Nicely done.. I am a believer of a healthy body lead to a healthy mind. I will try them out
Thanks
Hi Jeff,
Very nice tips. Now, I should sell my GPS unit.
Thanks,
-Desika
Thanks for this great list. By the way, there’s no danger in the GPS replacing the need to think. It’s just not as accurate or fast as the human brain.
Love it! Just in time for the weekend. Maybe I could just give Spanish a shot this weekend finally.
Great list. I would like to have seen LAUGHTER on there. Laughter is absent during work for most people and it is what drowns their personality and takes away their energy.
I have seen it, and I think there is some scientific evidence to back up my observations of clients.
Great post.
Really lots of different ways to be stimulated. Have stumbled your post
I stumbled your site–am joining email list. Thanks!
Number twelve is a must. I went so far as to give my TV away – I can not believe how little I even think about TV these days but how much time I must have dedicated to it.
Came across this article through StumbleUpon. Some great ideas here. Like Matt B said above, #12 is a must. Successful entrepreneurs don’t watch much TV.
I also wrote an article similar to this one. I’d love to have you check it out and if it’s ok, I’d like to leave the link:
8+ Ways To Train Yourself To Be Creative
Ok, I’m off to lurk around your blog
i guess i’ll try, but if i fail and i don’t get any more brain performance, i’m coming after you !
i guess my favorite way to exercise my brain is to exercise my body. i feel like mind body and spirit are all connected. i’ve started a workout plan with my friends and we are doing a fitness magazine plan from september issue called get lean. i recommend the mag because it seems like it’s for real women who want to get fit and motivate.
Your good ideas are good for my body too! Good ideas have a way of starting in the brain and manifesting in the body (action). Good job.
I’ve tried almost all of them now (some with succes others with less success). I’m not sure if all of them helped me get sharper.
Anyways I want to pass on a little secret if you want to exercise your brain. There is a free memory training site, http://www.foxythinking.com, that I have tried. You have to register to keep track of your improvement but it’s all free.
Thanks for a great blog!
/Hannah
Great post, you must exercise your brain as well as your body.
Sex has many health benefits for both men and women.
http://kieferscorner.blogspot.com/2009/03/sex-is-important-to-your-health.html
I don’t want to stop no. 14. This would be too hard in places I don’t know.
I followed your advice about recalling old memories. I pulled out a photo album that I have not looked at in ages! There is so many emotions that I felt when looking at this that I had completely forgotten about. And you are so correct… a healthy body leads to a healthy mind! Thanks!
The older you get there more video games should be played maybe. But this is rareley the case.
.-= renten´s last blog ..Warum eine private Rentenversicherung? =-.
Surround yourself with other people who are inspirational and big thinkers
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thanks for the advice . it really helps for me to come back my mind and I can now refresh my thoughts.
Great steps….and magically effective
Great list! I especially like point 14, stop relying on your GPS. Our brain does get lazy as we hand over tasks that it used to perform daily to the latest tech gadget.
Wonderful blog containing very useful information regarding memory enhancement. I had written something similar in this blog on memory improvement
http://www.squidoo.com/train-your-memory
Check it out!!
Love your writing Jeff! This post is epic, most people write a top 10 list, but wow, a top 20, of pure quality content. I’m a new fan now.
if i dont learn something new in the day i get depressed, and i live on music and can sing along with 100′s of songs, wonder thats why i’m smarter then my friends? =o
I like your brain training tips. I have been looking for something like this and I think this set of techniques may help me improve of my abilities.
Hello Jeff,
Great List!!
I work in i.T. and constantly have to learn new technologies, so I totally agree with your methods to keep your brains sharp.
I will have starting learning a third language; and it not easy yet its getting easier over time.
thanks,
Ruben
Hi Jeff,
Great list.
I have been doing some of them for years; yet you have given me some great new ideas.
thanks,
Ruben
George Elliot once said it’s never too late to be what you might have been.
http://www.youtube.com/1MinuteInspiration