Here it is the most asked about list from 2011, for my students friends and fellow meditators in one easy to access list. From How God Changes You Brain by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman, the eight best ways to exercise your brain (finally an excuse to yawn freely in public):
8) Smile- “The mere act of smiling helps to interrupt mood disorders and strengthen the brain’s neural ability to maintain a positive outlook on life.”
7) Stay Intellectualy Active- “Nearly every age-related cognitive disability is related to the functioning of your frontal lobe.” Interestingly enough, math and crossword puzzles don’t seem to help, but reading, writing, playing chess or going to a museum do.
6) Consciously Relax- “[Deliberately] scan each part of the body to reduce muscle tension and physical fatigue.”
5) Yawn (!)- “It quickly brings you to a state of cognitive awareness.” There are many studies cited in the book, but my favorite is anecdotal. I was driving home from an all day Speech and Drama competition on a narrow country road, full of twists and turns (and ateep drop offs). I was exhausted and always have a hard time seeing well. I was so afraid, I just started yawning over and over to see if it would help. It did improve my awareness and even my perception of the road. Best of all, I am still here to write this post!
4) Meditate- “Visualization, guided imagery, and self-hypnosis are specific variations of meditation and are equally effective in maintaining a healthy brain.
3) Aerobic Exercise- “Vigorous exercise strengthens every part of the brain.”
2) Dialogue With Others- “Dialogue requires social interaction, and the more social ties we have, the less our cognitive abilities will decline.”
1) Faith- “Faith is equivalent to hope, optimism, and the belief that a positive future awaits us. Faith can also be defined as the ability to trust our beliefs, even when we have no proof that such beliefs are accurate or true.”
Enjoy!
