What exercises, in your opinion, are the best for your brain?
I’m inviting you
to read and comment.
To enjoy
your efficient brain, you should lead a very active life: both physical and
mental.
PHYSICAL EXERCISE
A physical exercise can make us more clever and more efficient in
performing various tasks. The movement promotes the formation of new cells in
the brain. Evidence from many studies
suggests also that a physical activity facilitates neuroplasticity of certain
brain structures and as a result cognitive functions [Hötting, Röder, 2013]. What's more – a being active is good for brain functioning at any age. No
matter how old you are, by exercising you strengthen memory, raise your ability to clearly. An
additional advantage is the improvement of mood. But remember: to maintain the
neuro-cognitive benefits induced by physical exercise, an increase in the
cardiovascular fitness level must be maintained.
The most appropriate exercises for the brain are
those of low or medium intensity. Experts recommend a half-hour, not too
strenuous effort performed three times a week. This could be, for example,
marching, walking in the mountains or swimming. The more often and longer we
practice, the better. But we should not overdo it. [Lou et all, 2008].
MENTAL EXERCISE
– NEUROBIC
Source
Generally, the rule is one
- the most important thing is to surprise the
brain, and thereby get it to work.
Time to break the routine!
Surprise your mind and
dress up in a different order, select a different route to work, try to count the steps from
the house to the bus. The brain
likes to be surprised, thanks to
that works better. The simple act of brushing your teeth can be a good exercise for the brain
when you brush them by the non-dominant hand. All kinds of puzzle games, board
games, card games, crosswords
or learning vocabulary in a foreign language are recommended. Also puzzles or mathematical puzzles
help. In short, all types of activities
that involve processes such as
memory, attention and logical thinking are
good for your brain.
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SLEEPING TIME
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Sleep is needed
to regenerate certain parts of the body, especially the brain. Lack
of sleep for a long time [Peri, 2013] can reduce your attention and concentration, reaction time.
decision-making and memory.
And what about the nap?
- The 20-minute power nap is good for alertness and motor learning skills like typing and playing the piano
- Napping for approximately 30 to 60 minutes is good for decision-making skills, such as memorizing vocabulary or recalling directions.
- 60 to 90 minutes of napping,
plays a key role in making new connections in the brain and solving creative
problems.” [Soong, 2011]
The optimal nap time is approximately 20 minutes. Our nap should not
disturb the rhythm of the day causing problems with sleeping at night. Nap
time can vary depending on your
lifestyle, so try different options and decide which is the best for you.
Did you know?
- Great historical figures were known for their passion for naps, inter alia Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Napoleon Bonaparte.
- In China, the right to naps is written in the Constitution (but cannot last longer than 30 minutes)
QUESTION TIME
- What is the best gym for the brain
- What do you think about the influence of music on our brain?
- Do you nap during the day? How does this affect your brain?
1.Personally, I find physical exercises most beneficial. Whenever I have a problem, in programming or writing my master's degree I go running and then ideas pops tu my mind. Sometimes very simple ones and I am surprised that I haven't thought of them before.
ReplyDelete2.Generally, I do listen to the music when I work but not always. It depends on my mood and on time of the day. However, I remember that I read interesting studies about listening classical/baroque music when working - the conclusion was that it is the best kind of music to work to. On one hand it does not absorb our attention but on other it has possitive influence on our creativity and problem solving.
3.Yes it happens to me and a nad is a very good idea. Sometimes just half na hour sleep can be indispensable.
1. Physical. I hate mental exercises, because when I enjoy some kind of logic game I just keep playing it instead of doing my job! 2048 is the best example.
ReplyDelete2. I think it really depends on a person. Some people seem to relax listening to death metal music, other requires total silence. Myself, I really like "background sounds" - like working washing machine or rain. I also memorize things quickly when I'm surrounded by talking people, for example during a break in school - in my younger days, I learn for every test this way.
3. Only when I'm sick or super-exhausted, but it always destroy my daily time routine and cause a huge headaches.
1) What is the best gym for the brain?
ReplyDeleteI prefer mental exercises. Which is the best in general? Who knows - everyone is different. Ideas come in different shapes, therefore the problem is in finding them.
2) What do you think about the influence of music on our brain?
I don't mind music in the background. But I much prefer watching passively some movies etc. It helps me focus and to perform much better in general.
3) Do you nap during the day?
Never. Waste of time.
4) How does this affect your brain?
I always give 100%-110% as long as i work less than 12h in a row.
@ Tomek Kerber - When it comes to classical music that opinions are divided. I found a lot of researches that shows this music improves concentration and brain function and the same amount, which deny. A very popular topic of research is the Mozart effect. The history of this period begins in 1991 and then over the years it becomes a subject of stormy debates among scientists. If you want to know how journalists can give their meaning (for marketing purposes) to scientific research findings I recommend you this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart_effect
ReplyDelete@ Martyna when it comes to naps - for me also didn’t work. If I take a nap for a while, my brain is no longer geared to solving problems. Exactly as I wrote in the presentation. It‘s a very personal matter - for some, essential for brain function, and for other very unfavorable.
ReplyDelete1. What is the best gym for the brain?
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience doing math problems. I can feel the difference in my capabilities now and when we had math. Right now I do sudoku every now and then.
2. What do you think about the influence of music on our brain?
It's good idea up, although from experience it has to be a music without lyrics. Songs are good up to some point, but can become distracting very quickly.
3. Do you nap during the day? How does this affect your brain?
No I don't, but when I do I'm really tired for the rest of the day.
In my opinion the best gym for the brain is solving “brain teasers” during cardio exercises :). For example, exercise bike or ellipticals and cross trainers.
ReplyDeleteMusic has a tremendous influence on our brain. It can either relax you or prepare to a fight. There is a great experiment in the Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw about it. You watch the same movie which different kinds of music. I think results will surprise you ;).
When I have time and I’m tired I take a nap during the day. Short naps are very good for our concentration and well-being.
1. I love such training as logical games, for example Sudoku. Another great exercise which is playing Scrabble with my friends.
ReplyDelete2. I think that music has a great impact on our brain! I work only listening to music it helps me relax and focus. Of course it depends on kind of music which you listen to- have different play lists to different activities- for driving a car I prefer more energetic music and when I'm working I listen to calmer, rhythmical electro.
3. I never nap during a day.. only when I feel sick- I can't wake up after a nap so I never try to take it for regeneration.
1. I think the best gym for the brain is programming and learning new things, so basicaly using brain is the most important. I mentioned programming because when you have to program something you need to thin a lot and take under consideration many aspects like use of the memory or complexity of the solution.
ReplyDelete2. Music can have positive influence, when I need to relax music is very helpfull and gives me on opportunity to think about something different than problems.
3. Personaly I hate to sleep during the day - it never ends good to my physical condition. After nap I feel more tired than before it, so for me they are pointless.
I can definitely be more productive after taking a walk outside, although if I were to do actual exercises, I'd probably fall asleep right after coming home.
ReplyDeleteAlso, brushing teeth with my left hand would result in me stabbing my gums repeatedly, rather than improving my thinking.
As for the music - sometimes I like having it as a background, sometimes I can't stand it. Depends on the mood.
And I don't nap. Every time I tried to, I simply woke up in the morning, or worse, in the middle of the night. Alarms have no power over me, apparently.
What is the best gym for the brain?
ReplyDeleteI like remembering as much as I can from the moment.
What do you think about the influence of music on our brain?
Definitely. I love relaxing while listening to classic.
Or chilling sounds like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91DuxjzlLLU
Its really keep me calm. Music is the one of few things that wakes some emotions in me.
Do you nap during the day? How does this affect your brain?
Not really but after reading this for sure I will start having naps daily.