6 Ways to Rewire Your Brain

6 Ways to Rewire Your Brain

Experts have yet to determine the limits of the brain’s abilities. Some believe we may never fully understand them all. But evidence does support the existence of one of its most important processes: neuroplasticity. “Neuroplasticity” refers to your brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when it recognizes the need for adaption. In other words, it can continue developing and changing throughout life. For example, if brain trauma after a car accident affects your ability to speak, you haven’t necessarily lost this ability permanently. Therapy and rehabilitation can help your brain relearn this ability by repairing old pathways or creating new ones.

Neuroplasticity also seems to have promise as a driver of potential treatment for certain mental health conditions.

Experts believe the negative thought patterns that occur with depression , for example, could result from interrupted or impaired neuroplasticity processes. Exercises that promote positive neuroplasticity, then, may help “rewrite” these patterns to improve well-being.

Rewiring your brain might sound pretty complicated, but it’s absolutely something you can do at home.

Yes, you read that right.

Debate over the potential benefits and risks of video games can get pretty contentious, but if you enjoy gaming, there’s some good news: Research suggests this hobby can have plenty of cognitive benefits.

The benefits associated with gaming include improvements in: motor coordination

visual recognition and spatial navigation

reasoning, decision making, and problem-solving skills

resilience

cooperation and team participation

In short, when you play video games, you teach your brain new skills. These effects can improve your gameplay, certainly, but they also carry over to the rest of your life: Learning to recover from failure in a game can help you get better at bouncing back from setbacks.

Exploring different solutions to a task in a game can help enhance creative thinking.

Different games, different benefits

According to a 2019 review , different types of games may offer varying benefits: 3-D adventure games seemed to contribute to improvements in memory, problem-solving, and scene recognition.

Puzzle games help boost problem-solving skills, brain connectivity, and spatial prediction.

Rhythm gaming, like dance or exercise video games, can help improve visuospatial memory and attention.

These effects appear to kick in after about 16 hours of gameplay. This doesn’t mean you have to play for 16 hours at once, of course — this actually isn’t recommended.

But adding a few hours of weekly gameplay to your leisure time can be a great way to improve neuroplasticity .

Ever considered studying another language? Maybe you thought a second (or third) language might boost your career opportunities, or you wanted to pick it up just for fun.

In either case, you’d be doing your brain a big favor. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that acquiring a new language improves cognitive function. Boost gray matter…

In one 2012 study , researchers looked at 10 exchange students who were native English speakers studying German in Switzerland. After 5 months of intensive language study, their proficiency in German had increased — and so had the density of gray matter in their brain.

Gray matter houses many important regions in your brain, including areas associated with: language

attention

memory

emotions motor skills Increased gray matter density can improve your function in these areas, especially as you age.In fact, it’s believed bilingualism may offer some protective benefits against cognitive decline. Learning a language at any stage of life could help slow down future decline related to age, including symptoms of dementia.Another 2012 study found evidence to support the idea that picking up a new language increases gray matter density and neuroplasticity.After 3 months of intensive study of a new topic, 14 adult interpreters saw increases in both gray matter density and hippocampal volume. The hippocampus plays an important role in long-term memory recall. …and white matter According to 2017 research , learning a second language in adulthood can also strengthen white matter, which helps facilitate brain connectivity and communication between different brain regions.Studying a new language at any age can lead to: stronger problem-solving and creative thinking skills improved vocabulary greater reading comprehension increased ability to multitask You may have heard of online programs and apps like Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and Duolingo, but you can study languages in other ways too.Hit your local secondhand book store for textbooks, or check your library for books and CDs. Whatever method you choose, try to stick with it for at least a few months, even if you only do 10 or 15 minutes of study a day. Music has several brain benefits . It can help improve your: Music therapy also appears to help slow down cognitive decline in older adults. Research from 2017 suggests music, especially when combined with dance, art, gaming, and exercise, helps promote neuroplasticity.It can improve movement and coordination and may help strengthen memory abilities. But it doesn’t just help prevent additional cognitive decline. It can also help relieve emotional distress and improve quality of life.According to a 2015 review , musical training also has benefits as a neuroplasticity exercise.Learning to play music in childhood can help protect against age-related cognitive decline and lead to improved cognitive performance in older adulthood, for one. better audio and visual perception greater focus and attention better memory better motor coordination It’s never too late to learn an instrument. Online tutorials can help you get started, especially if you don’t want to splurge on lessons.Check your local classified ads for used instruments, or try out inexpensive options like a ukulele, harmonica, or keyboard (as an added bonus, many people find these instruments pretty easy to learn).Not very musical? That’s OK! Even listening to music more regularly can help increase brain neuroplasticity. So turn on your favorite playlist — it’s good for your brain.If you enjoy travel, here’s one more reason to get out and explore somewhere new: Travel may help enhance cognitive flexibility, inspire you, and enhance creativity.Experiencing new scenery and surroundings can also help you learn about different cultures and become a better communicator , both of which can have additional cognitive benefits.Visiting new […]

Read more at www.healthline.com

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