For all practical purposes Your brain is still a muscle and I strongly believe that, just like certain exercises activate the muscles in a body, doing certain things on a daily basis makes your brain sharper. I have experienced this myself and feel a different person when I finish a long run/swim or a bout in the gym.
What I have realized and know is that whatever we do in our life, it is through our brain. Since it is the most important and demanding organ in our body it is prudent to do certain things to enhance its productivity. I have over the years, whilst trying to work on improving the performance of the mind, stumbled upon amazing simple facts which are as detailed below –
Meditation: I have written a complete Blog on this couple of months ago. The more I practice meditation, the more i am amazed with its immense benefits. Recently I read a well researched article that stated that even Ten minutes of meditation helps activate the prefrontal cortex (which helps you make smart choices) and the anterior cingulate cortex(which helps you choose the time to make them).By enabling these two areas of your brain first thing in the morning, will make you extremely productive during the day. I have noticed this myself when at times I do not practice meditation and the difference is oblivious .If ten minute is all it takes, I would advocate doing this first thing in the morning and just before going to sleep.
Avoid the sugar: One thing which is creating havoc in our life which most of us do not realize is, the amount of sugar added in the processed foods. It has also been proved that our food intake is directly responsible in terms of how we think and and eating a high-fructose diet over the long term may alter your brain’s ability to learn and remember information. Large amounts of sweets in the brain can impair synaptic activity disrupting the ability to think clearly. Instead of soda, candy, ice cream, and baked goods get your sweet fix from foods like fresh fruit and vegetables.
Banish Negative Thoughts: Believing in yourself isn’t good only for your overall well-being. It can also play a crucial role in how well your brain performs in different settings. There are tons of material in terms of the crucial role, thinking positive plays in our daily life. The pitfalls of thinking negative is that it wastes premium resources and at times it makes people go numb like a deer in a headlight scenario. The best practice I always work on removing a negative thought is by replacing it with a positive one. This will take some practice. However over a period of time it becomes natural which is what one needs to aspire for over a period of time.
Stay hydrated: By not drinking enough (8-10 glass per day) you are compromising on the potential of the brain, since it requires constant replenishment of water. During my days in extreme higher altitude, I used to feel disoriented and heavy in the head due to less oxygen in the air. I personally believe that something similar, if not in the same above mentioned scenario happens when one does not drink enough water. Water is also an excellent source to remove unwanted toxins from your body which plays an active role in influencing your thoughts.
Work on a regular exercise: Leading an active lifestyle helps keep the tissues in your brain every bit as young and active as those throughout the rest of your body. In fact, regular physical activity seems to help slow or even reverse the brain’s physical decay over time. Any regular exercise does immense help in making the brain more active. However my favorite is swimming where we need to hold our breath for long periods Holding your breath while swimming in the pool improves the flow of blood to your brain. As with your muscles, the more oxygen these tissues get, the stronger and healthier they become—and the better they’re able to function. I always feel a sense of euphoria after a good bout of swim just like I feel after a good run. However I enjoy swimming and advocate it strongly because it is a non impact sport. It Works wonders in toning up and strengthening your core.
Some of the things I regularly do especially whilst working with people has made a huge difference to me as well as to my own clients. These are small manoeuvres which one needs to do on a consistent basis to stay at the top of your respective area. I am sure you would want to look at ways to improve yourself. just like we buy a smartphone or tablet with a better processor we need to work on our own brain to make it more efficient and sharper. I Would love to hear from you as to how you could relate to the words above. Would love to hear some of your own thoughts on my Facebook Fan Page or my mail ID coach@satishrao.in