The likelihood of two snow crystals or snowflake that will be precisely the same in molecular structure is minute. In fact, to prove it, would present quite a daunting task since there are a trillion trillion) snow crystals that fall from the sky every year! Similarly, the human brain is diametrically different in molecular structure among almost nine billion people that exist today, we must conclude, no two brains are the same. In a recent episode, my guest strongly advocates that we have everything we need to create the optimal life we want. He believes that many of us are not aware of the most state-of-the-art GPS system that is built within us. He refers to it as a change in basic assumptions, enabling us to manage stress and anything that puts us at the mercy of our personal circumstances. From my perspective, it is possible to find solutions or if there are none for the moment, there is a definite hope that enables us to cope. According to my research, the brain is like any other part of our anatomy, it needs to be strengthened otherwise we will experience atrophy, and in this article I will be sharing some information on the brain to improve our cognitive ability.
We can begin by strengthening our focus, our attention, it is the jumping point to improving our thinking, it is pivotal in making a difference in what really matters to us. And it is interesting to me that many people tend to wait until the new year rolls around as a new year’s resolution to implement a personal change, however, my view is to start today, and waiting is just another inexcusable reason. The crux of the matter is, if we do not know our priorities, the media such as Netflix, the internet, or alcohol and daily negative news of the world being figuratively on fire will gladly decide for us, so act over distractions. Does it drive you loony when you cannot remember where you left your glasses or keys? More than likely, you were not paying attention when you set them down, it can be frustrating, but it does not have to be. As we negotiate this world, it demands for us to pay attention to what matters for our own personal safety, our health, our interests, and what brings us joy. We want to be aware of the crack in the sidewalk to avoid tripping, the intricate details of a beautiful oil painting, the captivating twist and turns in a movie that makes it come together at the end, and of course, the pleasure of seeing the smile on the face of a friend. But did you know that dismissing what does not matter is equally important as noticing what does? To use the human brain resourcefully by focusing on things of importance, the brain must also subdue its attention to all irrelevant noise and details around us for the sake of relevancy, and this can be challenging if our attention is divided. Think of it, the ability to pay attention to necessary details, while suppressing what does not matter is determinant to our success in whatever we do. For example, when scanning the grocery shelf for my favorite chili sauce, you give up, and you finally need to ask for assistance and the item was just under your nose all this time. Or how about trying to find me amid hundreds of faces at a crowded gathering is hinged in part, on your ability to laser focus in on vital details and disregarding details that do not quickly match. Does it resonate with you? I have found that reading can and will enhance your ability to focus well. I pay attention to punctuation, such as commas, the periods, they are there for a purpose, to slow you down and help you to ruminate on the meaning of the written word and its application, especially to me personally. I have known that some will read something of interest for 30 minutes with a timer to go off intermittently every five minutes, then stop, upon which they will ask themselves if their mind had wandered during the reading. And if their mind wandered into never ever land, they refocus on the material. By disciplining our mind to detect if our mind went on a tangent, you would strengthen your awareness process and the ability to hold your thoughts and focus on a particular task such as reading comprehensively. Today, there is lots of talk about mindfulness, however, from where I am coming from it is not a monastic approach, but it is the cornerstone to focusing attention on the here and now or present moment, and exercising mindfulness has demonstrated to rewire the brain, called neuroplasticity, and you will experience that your focus is strengthened in accomplishing daily tasks. Also, some will sit still for a few minutes each day, will close their eyes, will focus on their breathing through their nose as well as the many sounds in the environment and the sensations that envelop them of which my guest referred to as box breathing. As to breathing, make sure to make a conscious effort to use your diaphragm which is the muscle for breathing efficiently, versus breathing vertically or up into your lungs. Your diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle located below your lungs where you find Your abdominal construct which helps move the diaphragm and provides more power to exhale and empty your lungs, many refer to this as belly breathing. You may be asking, what will this do for me? It helps you relax when under stress, it improves muscular function while exercising and prevents injury. It increases how much oxygen is pumped into your circulatory system and it may make you dizzy at first, but it is because of the extra intake of oxygen. Belly breathing facilitates the body to get rid of gas waste from your pulmonary system, it Reduces blood pressure, and it reduces the heart rate. Have you ever noticed that infants are belly breathers? and because of the world we live in, we have gotten away from this natural breathing process due to daily anxiety which puts us into a vertical inhale which defines a stressful panic breathing mode, and not in a natural horizontal breathing, thus, not reaping the benefits thereof. The bottom line, our brain is not receiving enough oxygen to ameliorate our focus. So, what do you do? Practice!!! Lie down on your back, on the floor, on your bed, or any flat surface, with both knees bent and your feet flat on the surface. Put a book on your lower stomach and breathe with the intention of making the book go up and down without breathing into your lungs. In the evening before retiring, this exercise makes for a lovely way to relax and will induce the much-needed sleep to enable us to function with complete focus the next day. When we improve our sleep, it reduces stress hormones such as cortisol that can be deleterious to the brain, and we eliminate proteins that some neurologists refer to as brain poop which are cognitively harmful. While authoring this article, I remembered how the Navy Seals are trained to perform box breathing in which they will inhale through the nose, hold their breath for let say six second, slowly exhale through the nose to the count of six seconds, and then count six before inhaling again thus they are able to perform under extreme pressure with focus. Of course, we can take Other healthy actionable steps to better our focus like eating a Mediterranean-style diet, which nutritionist have shown this type of diet is conducive to supporting brain health. Studies have shown that it will treat underlying health conditions, and due to this diet, did you know that Ikaria, an island in Greece, and Sardinia, an island in Italy, are known for people living the longest? Also do not forget to consult your primary physician about changing medications that may be affecting your ability to focus. Of course, getting older is something we have no control over, but a healthier lifestyle is something we can choose, and it may improve our cognitive abilities. Improving our focus will GIVES YOU MORE potential OPPORTUNITIES and will help you to find a path you did not even know existed. We become so bogged down and blind with problems in life that we forget to focus on the many adventurous possibilities out there. So please do not forget, personal change is possible by not focusing and fighting the old but constructing your new GPS system, your brain!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2024
Categories |