5 simple habits that can make your brain smarter

5 simple habits that can make your brain smarter

Many people may think that once people reach a certain age, such as in their thirties, their brains will only become more and more "dumb", it will become increasingly difficult to learn new skills, their energy will become lower and lower, and their memory will gradually decline. When they reach old age, they basically say goodbye to new things.

But this is not the case. Scientists have found that even after adulthood, our brains still have an amazing ability to "self-upgrade", which is the so-called brain plasticity. Through brain plasticity, we can reshape and enhance our thinking circuits and neural connections, and continuously improve the "intelligence" and adaptability of the brain, so that our thinking becomes clearer, our memory becomes stronger, and we can deal with complex problems more easily.

Today, let’s take a look at some small daily habits that can help us activate this potential and make our brains smarter.

What is brain plasticity?

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt when stimulated by external stimuli, and to form new neural connections even in adulthood. Imagine that every time you learn something new or have a new experience, your brain is like a piece of plasticine that can be molded into new shapes. This ability allows us to adapt to new environments, master new skills, and even helps us recover lost function after brain damage.

Simply put, brain plasticity is like the brain's "learning ability". It means that the brain is not static, but elastic and flexible. When we learn new knowledge or skills, nerve cells (neurons) in the brain form new connections or strengthen existing connections, which is like building new "highways" in the brain to allow information to be transmitted faster and more efficiently. Moreover, even after certain brain areas are damaged, other brain areas can take over the work of the damaged areas and help us restore function. This amazing ability allows our brains to continue to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing world.

How to activate brain plasticity

When improving the flexibility and intelligence of the brain, you don't necessarily need a complex, high-intensity learning plan. Some simple and persistent habits can gradually change the structure and function of the brain, helping us process information more efficiently, remember better, and focus more persistently. Through long-term practice, these small changes can significantly improve our thinking flexibility and adaptability, making the brain smarter and more sensitive.

1. Develop small but consistent challenging habits

According to the principle of brain plasticity, learning new things will form new neural connections in the brain, especially when we learn challenging tasks. When the brain encounters a challenge, it usually mobilizes more neurons to participate, thereby strengthening the network that processes information, which helps to improve the agility and creativity of thinking. Therefore, in daily life, you can train your brain through some small challenges, such as frequently learning a new skill, such as playing a musical instrument, painting, and programming. Or try different activities, such as writing with your non-dominant hand, to stimulate the participation of multiple areas of the brain.

2. Practice meditation and mindfulness regularly

The prefrontal cortex in the brain is responsible for important cognitive functions such as decision-making, planning, and concentration. Studies have shown that meditation or concentration exercises can increase the density of nerves and the strength of connections in this area, especially long-term meditators who show stronger concentration and emotional control. Meditation practice for at least 5 minutes a day can help us be more efficient when facing complex tasks and recover faster from distraction.

3. Develop a habit of regular daily exercise

Exercise has a profound effect on brain plasticity, especially in increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein promotes the growth, survival and connection of neurons, which directly contributes to the improvement of cognitive function. Studies have found that aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, and brisk walking, can significantly increase BDNF levels and enhance the brain's learning and memory abilities. In addition, taking the stairs instead of the elevator every day, or choosing to walk more often, these inadvertent exercises can have positive long-term effects on the brain.

4. Focus on social interaction and improve cognitive flexibility

Communicating with others not only provides emotional support, but also stimulates the brain to process complex information. Interactions with friends, family or colleagues, especially when they involve the collision of ideas and discussion of opinions, can activate the collaborative work of multiple areas of the brain and improve our cognitive adaptability and flexibility. Studies have shown that people who frequently participate in social activities usually have better memory and cognitive responses than those who lack social interaction.

5. Get enough sleep to keep your brain healthy

The importance of sleep to brain plasticity is self-evident. During sleep, the brain automatically organizes and consolidates daytime memories, classifies and stores new information, and converts it into long-term memory. At the same time, the slow-wave sleep stage during sleep helps the brain repair damaged neuronal connections, remove metabolic waste, and keep the nervous system sharp the next day. Lack of sleep will weaken the brain's ability to integrate information, leading to reduced learning efficiency and emotional disorders.

In short, the plasticity of the brain means that we can make our brains smarter and more flexible through conscious practice and good habits. Simple but good daily habits and lifestyles can continuously stimulate the potential of the brain and make us smarter as we age.

References

[1] Fuchs, E., & Flügge, G. (2014). Adult neuroplasticity: more than 40 years of research. Neural plasticity, 2014(1), 541870.

[2] Park, DC, & Bischof, GN (2013). The aging mind: neuroplasticity in response to cognitive training. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 15(1), 109-119.

Author: Chen Yufeng, a popular science author

Reviewer: Yang Xiaoyang, Associate Professor, School of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting.