“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”
- Kahlil Gibran
If you really want to improve your memory or want to increase your focus, you have to reduce your stress from the brain. You have to be good to your precious organ. The brain is your crown and you have to make it happy all the time. Being a psychologist I always loved to know and do something about healthy brain and extraordinary behaviour of people around me although I am still learning about very complex organ which is only 2% of our body weight. It is also fact that we just know only 2% of the brain.
Many times I could not decide what to do first what to do next etc. I am able to guide the people about their behaviour and attitude but still after my masters which I completed before two and a half decades, I am still ‘work in progress’ about learning specific things. Our frontal lobe has a fantastic task to organise the things as what to do first what to do second and so on. Second part called hippocampus which is core of our memory. These two areas are more sensitive to stress. Stress hormones make these area shrink. When there is stress, the contacts to other brain neurons make very weak networks. But there are ways to counteract the effect.
1. Be Physically Active
With more active state of body whether it is running, playing games or dancing, your body cells are energized and sometimes new cells are also added. When you have regular exercise at least thrice a week for 40 minutes and above, your hippocampus size increases than the normal individuals. Some of the stretching exercises are more beneficial after or before the workouts.
2. Sleep Well
If you are not sleeping for 8 hours, you are more likely to get excessive stress which may become detrimental to your brain health. If you do not realise or think that it does not matter, try for sleeping less for a night and experience the effects of poor memory, dizziness and dull approaches. A good sleep reorganises things and you have better working of brain. I can never sacrifice my sleep for my objectives or outcomes. For some reason if I have not slept for 8 hours due to some reason, I definitely compensate next night.
3. Food That Harms And Food That heals
Food has become a very important factor for efficient working of your brain. Researches are still going on what food is good for brain and what food is bad. Better memory and better concentration are always demanding adequate food intake habits. A large amount of fruits and vegetables are beneficial and of course certain sea foods which contains omega-3 fatty acids. Selected grains and dry fruits are the food that are good for longer brain health. Alcohol is not at all good for your brain but certain wine may be good for brain health. However it is advised to avoid such intakes.
4. Daily Meditation
It is very much beneficial to brain because it increases your attention and focus. Mind wanders during meditation but your concentration on breathing brings it back. Meditation is sole training to your attention. You are more flexible and you have better control over emotions when you have regular practice. Your forehead and internal structure of brain becomes more stronger and active within short period of practice. You can meditate at any time of the day. However, it is advised that early morning meditation is much more beneficial as there is less amount of disturbance from others and comparatively less noise around us.
5. Sense Of humour
Devastating effects of brain stress can be reduced with a good sense of humour. Good humour is a very good tool for stress management. When my grand mother told that she had acute back ache, we used to laugh and joke. My uncle used to tell, “Do you think you will have good physique just like 16 years old girl?” A laughter almost vanished the pain of my grand mother and she also started cracking joke.
Move away from your behaviour. Concentrate on your realistic thoughts. When you go out with your car, do not concentrate too much on thoughts that there is traffic. When I said, “Did you see so many cars?”
My good friend always told, “No I am an idiot, I do not see cars!”
When there is too much rush in the store, one of the customers say, “See, lot many stupid people have gathered in store!”
Don’t you realize, you are one of them? Sometimes, we are over-reactive to parts of our brain. Some people suffer in advance, “Next week, it is going to be worst!”
In stead say, “It is going to rain tomorrow and we will be able to dance!”
During our get-together party at month end, one of your neighbours said, “Oh my God, it is dark, do you know?
I said, “No, but I believe in you!”
When you are too much serious, wear red nose like joker and try complaining about your problems. Live with fun and entertain people for whatever life you have available on this planet. Laugh at your mistakes and problems and you will never be exhausted.
I think, at least for last few minutes, above lines have removed your stress from your brain, is not it?
Take Away
1. Create lightness around you with fun, laughter and smiles. You do not have to pay for that.
2. Become the fun you are seeking.
