Have you ever forgotten the name of a person, the lyrics to your favorite song or the reason you walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge? If you have, then don’t worry. It happens to everyone! As you get older, your mind—as well as your memory—will need a boost from time to time from the everyday life. According to www.glo.msn.com, in order to keep your mind sharp, you should try a couple of exercises that will boost activity in the brain. Here is a list of eight simple mind-flexing tricks that will help your brain to remain in shape.
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Flip Your Watch
Wear your watch upside down. When you read time in its correct form, the left side of the brain takes charge due to its logical and sequential order processing. However, when your watch is upside down, the right side of the brain, which processes unrecognizable objects, has to help the left hemisphere.
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Your Name in Reverse
Spell your name backwards, no matter how difficult it can be. For a better result, try doing it in your head instead of writing it down on paper. This mind exercise requires increased alertness and engages the visual area of the brain located in the right hemisphere. Spelling your name backwards can strengthen synapses between nerve cells in the brain, which helps with learning and with remembering.
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No Peeking
When you’re unlocking your door with the key or putting your key in the car’s ignition, try doing it with your eyes closed. Relying on other senses in order to accomplish an activity will allow your brain to make new sensory associations causing the circuits that control your attention to become more active.
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Trade Hand
Are you right-handed? If yes, then make phone calls with your left hand instead of your right hand. However, if you are left-handed, then button your coat or zip up your sweater with your right hand. Performing actions with your non-dominant hand will increase your concentration and improve your brain’s non-dominant side.
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Smell to Remember
The next time you meet someone, try smelling their perfume or cologne (don’t be too obvious though!). Smell is the only sense that has direct connections to the cortex, the hippocampus and other parts of the limbic system. All of these areas are known to process emotion and memory. If you are able to associate a particular smell with the person you just met, chances are you won’t forget that person so easily.
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Re-plan Your Agenda
Change your daily routine. Since routines are often accomplished subconsciously, your brain has a chance to relax. However, if you change your daily routine, then your brain will become engaged with the new plans or the new order of activities. The more unpredictable and spontaneous the activity, the better!
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Cross Your Arms
When you’re frustrated or impatient, try crossing your arms the unnatural way in order to give your brain a little bit of boost. This exercise will wake up the circuits and pathways that are usually inactive in the non-dominant side of your brain. Who knows? It might even calm you down as well!
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Read Aloud
Remember when you were asked to read in front of your class in elementary school? It turns out that wasn’t such a bad idea for the development of the brain. Reading aloud engages three regions of the brain: the motor cortex on both sides of the brain, which decodes the information being read and controls speech, and the cerebellum, which helps with coordination.
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By following these eight simple mind-flexing tricks, your brain activity will improve and your mind and memory will be back in shape in no time! Start now. What are you waiting for?Â