World Brain Day: Exercises to boost your cognitive health
Our brain is involved in pretty much everything we do and with that, comes the need to ensure its optimum functioning and well-being. July 22 is celebrated as World Brain Day around the globe, giving us a chance to improve our cognitive health and hone our learning, thinking, analytical, reasoning, logic, creativity, decision-making, attention, and problem-solving skills. Do these five exercises to achieve that.
Yoga and meditation
According to research done by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, it was found that meditation can slow the aging of the brain and increase its ability to process and retain details. Even yoga, for that matter, helps increase attention and focus, improving your mental clarity and well-being. You can do 10 minutes of meditation or breathing exercises daily.
Practice Tai chi
Tai chi is a traditional Chinese physical exercise that is an amalgamation of rhythmic exercises, body movements, and meditation. As per studies, it has shown efficacy in reducing stress, tension, and anxiety, improving sleeping quality, and enhancing memory, all of which play a massive role in shaping your cognitive health. You can learn the basics of this technique and practice anytime, anywhere.
Sudoku, puzzles, crosswords, and chess
Intellectually-stimulating games such as sudoku, puzzles, crosswords, and chess require you to put 100% of your mind into them, which improves your attention, focus, learning, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities. Chess, particularly, has been shown to improve cognitive flexibility, while puzzles have delayed the onset of dementia as per a study. Participants playing sodoku exhibited better overall cognitive function in a research conducted in 2019.
Visualization
Visualization is another fantastic exercise that you can do to improve your mental health. And that's not just saying but a study conducted in 2018 revealed that those who practiced visualization were able to make more informed decisions. Wondering how to practice it? Well, before doing any activity, simply take some time to visualize how you will do it, what you will get, etc.
Use your senses thoroughly
The more you involve your senses in something, the more your brain becomes active and healthy. Smelling, touching, seeing, tasting, and feeling are ways through which your brain responds, allowing you to make better decisions and solve problems effectively. Indulge yourself in activities like cooking where you can use multiple senses at a time to improve your brain health.
