Researchers all over the world are studying to discover the wonders of the human brain .It is said humans only use a small fraction of the brain yet are capable of amazing things. Technology and medicine are some sectors that has benefited tremendously from the power of the brain.
Whether you’re trying to jump-start your brain to do better on tomorrow’s test, or you simply want to do your best to avoid diseases that attack your brain, there are some definite ways to boost your brainpower.
1. It’s smart to socialize. Experiments have revealed that talking with others exercises your mind. “Short-term social interactions lasting just ten minutes boosted participants’ intellectual performance as much as engaging in ‘intellectual’ activities,” says Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan. Ybarra’s research shows that talking can improve our memory and thinking skills—which might mean that having a conversation is as helpful as doing a crossword puzzle.
2. Use it or lose it. Scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) in Australia have discovered that brain cells that aren’t stimulated destroy themselves. Neuroscientist Elizabeth Coulson suggests this self-destruction mechanism is a factor in brain conditions such as strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Perry Bartlett, director of the QBI, says understanding this process allows us to devise “new mechanisms for the treatment of diseases from depression to dementia.”
3. Yawning is cool. University at Albany researchers Andrew C. Gallup and Gordon G. Gallup, Jr., say our brains burn up to 33 per cent of the calories we consume—and generate heat. Yawning cools brain cells, thus making them more efficient. The researchers also found that yawning increases blood flow and helps maintain optimum levels of functioning. And they suggest we’re biologically hard-wired to yawn to stay alert and protect ourselves from danger.
4. Laugh. People always say that laughter is the best medicine, but it also stimulates different areas of the brain, allowing people to think in a broader and freer manner. Laughter is also a natural stress reducer and stress is something that inhibits and limits brainpower.
5. Get enough sleep. When you aren’t getting enough sleep, everything that your brain does is worsened because of it. So creativity, thinking, cognitive functioning, problem solving, memory, all these are tied to getting enough sleep. Sleep is especially necessary for memory functions, so make sure you’re getting to the deeper stages of sleep to allow for memory processing.