Neuroplasticity & Lifestyle Habits
Can your brain develop as an adult?
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Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice Anton Chekov
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The brain is able to develop, to change, and to grow. This is called plasticity or neuroplasticity. Plasticity occurs in the brain at any age. It is not restricted to childhood, but the process is different in adults and children.
How does plasticity work?
- New cells form in the brain
- New connections form between cells
- New circuits form between parts of the brain
- The structure of the brain changes
The plastic nature of the brain has been described in people in various professions, including London taxi drivers. Taxi drivers have to learn to navigate in a complex city. They have to understand routes, the best times to take a particular road, or when to avoid a route. This then leads to increased development of the hippocampus, a part of the brain important in memory including spatial memory necessary for navigating through a city. In people who play the flute, specific parts of the brain develop that are necessary for playing the flute. This then also has an influence on other brain skills such as memory in general or processing emotions.
|What we learn and what we do changes the brain
Why is plasticity important for brain health?
Plasticity reflects the ability of the brain to learn a new skill, become specialised at one you know already and respond to brain injury (for example a stroke). This can be reduced as you age and with certain illnesses such as dementia. The ability to sustain plasticity throughout life represents the potential to reduce the risk of certain illnesses such as depression and dementia, or as mentioned, the ability to recover from certain illnesses such as stroke.
Do you feel constantly stressed and fatigued?
Do you want to transform your life?
What can you do to support plasticity and a healthy brain?
Certain lifestyle and environmental factors can have an impact on plasticity. Lifestyle habits that promote a healthy brain and plasticity include:
- Finding ways to relax and manage stress
- Spending time with people you love
- Exercising
- Stimulating your brain
- Eating a healthy and balanced diet
- Avoiding brain toxins like smoking
|Every man if he so desires becomes the sculptor of his own brain. Santiago Ramon y Caj
These lifestyle habits support a healthy brain and allow your brain and you to function better, to feel better, to age better and to live better. My approach at Memorability is to create practical experiences that can be adapted to your lifestyle such as your motivation and time available. Memorability’s solutions to support brain health include understanding your why and other psychological tools that help you to make the changes you need for better health.
It can be hard to change habits but my advice is to find practical, pragmatic ways to start and that you enjoy and possibly that you can do with a friend (someone to motivate us makes everything easier). Think about what you want to do, why you want to (an essential step) and how much time can you spend doing this…and start.
Follow us on social media or sign up for for one of our courses for more on brain health.
Stay inspired,
Kirti
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