65 woman this month | November 2011 | night’s sleep. This gives the brain a great chance to recharge its batteries, so to speak, as it gets a little nurturing. It has been said that sleep also improves memory, as often memoryenhancing activity occurs during the deepest stages of sleep. Socialise All human beings love to be surrounded by others. We are all social beings at heart and thrive in an environment where there are many people to provide conversation, debate and new knowledge. We absorb huge amounts of new information from the people we are around and each different person’s personality acts as a different stimulant for the brain. Laugh Funnily enough, laughter is an action that involves the use of multiple regions of the brain. It also helps bring about a healthy balance in the brain and melts away stress and anxiety whilst heightening energy levels. Jokes are the perfect way to both laugh and test your brain, as the creation of jokes inside your head requires a certain level of thinking and consideration with regards to your audience and surroundings. For this reason, it is good work for your brain if you spend time with children as they are constant bundles of laughter and you often need to think on your feet. Relax When stressed, concentration levels are poorer, as are reasoning, learning and creativity skills. You will find it extremely hard to retain or even digest any new information as your mind will be entirely fixated on whatever it is you are anxious about. Meditation is a very simple and productive way to help manage stress and there are plenty of different styles so you are sure to find one that suits you. The act of meditation increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex and encourages more connections between brain cells — ultimately boosting both mental and memory skills. Eat There is a whole wealth of brain boosting foods out there for you to get stuck into. Omega Three, found in fish, is probably the most commonly known food for increased intelligence levels and it is also thought to reduce risks of senile dimension illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Fruit and vegetables are another food group which, in addition to being a great source of nutrients and minerals for the body, assists the brain in its productivity. They are busting with antioxidants, which act as a cleanser for the brain, ridding the organ of any free radicals and acting as a protector for the delicate tissue. You can even indulge in a nightly glass of wine (preferably red and small!) to boost the blood flow in the brain. Workout If you really want to stretch your brain and see what it can do you should try to mix up your routine. Just like our body, our brain can get lazy if trapped in a monotonous routine, unchallenged by anything fresh or new. A new hobby promotes new learning skills, increases thinking speed and builds up short-term memories by repeatedly training and testing the mind. Your creativity will also be confronted and ultimately built upon. If you don’t have time to do this, then grab the newspaper on your coffee break and bash out some good old-fashioned crossword puzzles or try a Sudoku grid.
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