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Daily activities include warming up and actually solving puzzles in which you need to look for small objects, solve examples or memorize images. The workout takes 15 minutes.
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As we age, memory and the speed at which the brain processes information deteriorate. A person cannot remember the right word for a long time, so he replaces it with filler words, for example, “this is the same.”
“This is due to functional deterioration of the prefrontal cortex, but by training the brain to target the frontal lobes, this process can be reversed. Moreover, the effect of brain training is better than that of muscle training,” says Kikunori Shinohara, a professor at the Faculty of Engineering at Suwa University.
Indeed, mental exercise can be done during various aspects of daily life. In this article, the professor will teach us how to train our brains through small changes in perception.
Is exercise effective for the mind? Studies have confirmed that the effect persists even after ten years.
As we age, brain function declines, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which integrates memory, learning and language, the hippocampus, which consolidates memory, and the striatum, which includes motivation.
Brain training stops this kind of aging. Professor Shinohara studies the parts of the brain that are activated when performing certain actions, and develops training methods based on this.
Exercising your brain certainly stimulates it, but the question arises - does it really help?
“Brain training is usually called cognitive training. Various studies are being conducted to test its effectiveness,” says the professor.
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A study was conducted in the United States involving 2,832 people, during which they conducted cognitive exercises and observed objects for ten years. The participants were divided into two groups. One did not do any exercises, and the second consisted of three parts: in the first, participants trained memory (reading texts and answering questions), in the second, they made inferences (predicting a sequence), and in the third, they increased the speed of information processing (quickly responding to visual impact).
The second group conducted training at the beginning of the study, after 11 months, and also after 35 months. After 10 years, the group that received cognitive training on memory, inference, and processing speed had improved cognitive performance for each exercise compared to the group that did nothing. Moreover, the effect persisted even after 10 years.
“The exercises used in this study lasted 60-75 minutes each. I think a similar effect can be had on the brain by consciously exercising it while working or doing household chores. At the same time, it is important not to simplify the sequence of actions,” emphasizes Shinohara.
The brain is activated not during routine work, but when performing several tasks simultaneously. This phenomenon often occurs during daily work or cooking. These daily tasks can stimulate the brain. According to the professor, the brain can be trained by influencing it.
“The brain changes faster than muscles. They say that the head trains like the muscles, and if it is not used, it begins to work worse, but in fact the brain changes faster than the muscles. For example, if you understand the meaning of brain training and change the way you see and feel, it means that the brain structure has already changed. Changes in muscles don't happen overnight, but the brain changes even faster. Given this, it is not surprising that the aforementioned study showed a difference between those who performed mental exercises and those who did not,” notes Shinohara.
Three Ways to Train Your Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampal Memory Module
It turns out that the brain can be trained by influencing it. From now on, I would like to maintain a youthful brain by incorporating training elements into everyday life.
Let's ask Professor Shinohara to teach us three ways to improve the functions of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, the functioning of which deteriorates with age.
Method 1: Write down things that bother you on your to-do list
People who write to-do lists to manage work tasks should reconsider how they maintain them while working remotely, Shinohara said.
“Even if you make a to-do list, prioritizing tasks, when you work remotely, work tasks and household chores get mixed up. You will not be able to skillfully solve all the tasks according to their priority, and every time you think about things, your virtual notebook in your head will be wasted. This will not happen if you simply arrange things in chronological order and do them from top to bottom of the list,” the professor recommends.
When making a list, some items cause discomfort. In such cases, Shinohara recommends writing down things that are causing you anxiety to reduce the load on the prefrontal cortex (the brain's notebook).
“In people with a high propensity for anxiety, as well as in the presence of tasks with a high degree of stress, the activity of the prefrontal cortex decreases more strongly. For such people, it will be better to write down your worries. Constant thinking does not lead to a solution, so it is better to put such a problem into concrete form. If you clear your head of doubts and difficulties, the “notebook” in your brain will be freed up, and it will be easier to use,” explains Shinohara.
The more difficult the task, the more pleasant it will be to “erase” it after completion.
Example: a meeting with the boss (does not cause joy, so you want to end it quickly); contact with a partner (stressful and depressing. But then relief will come).
This method reduces the load on the brain, and you feel as if you were consulting with a consultant.
Another tip for working remotely. You need to think about places where there will be no distractions. Can you concentrate in a cafe if you can’t even do it in the office?
“Memory performance is known to improve when remembering in different places rather than in the same place. That is, the hippocampus functions better. When working from home, it is worth preparing several work areas, for example, a living room, a sofa, and so on. If this is difficult, just change the position of the table - the environment will change, and the functioning of the hippocampus will improve,” says the professor.
Method 2: Do household chores from the heart
“As we age, the prefrontal cortex deteriorates, so activating it requires daring new and challenging things,” says Shinohara.
Handicrafts, making things, and playing musical instruments are common activities that activate the prefrontal cortex. It is also useful to put your heart and soul into your business. “If you compare shredding cabbage with and without soul, the prefrontal cortex works much more actively in the first case,” the specialist notes.
In addition, when cooking or cleaning, the prefrontal cortex of the brain functions more actively if you multitask. Treat it like a game, creating your own missions: do it more carefully than yesterday or complete the task in ten minutes.
Method 3: Consciously set aside time for prostration
When fatigue has accumulated due to being overly busy, your brain needs time to prostrate.
“There is evidence that prefrontal cortex function improves simply by taking a walk in nature or looking at pictures of forests and lakes. In a highly stimulating environment, the brain is stressed, but in nature it rests and recovers. In addition, in a state of prostration, the brain works in a passive mode, due to which memory is restored and inspiration appears,” emphasizes Shinohara. Treasure the time when you are not thinking about anything: walking or taking a bath.
Moreover, in the context of the new coronavirus pandemic, prostration time must be ensured even more actively.
“In real meetings, there was an opportunity to look at materials or stare at one point. However, online meetings require you to look directly at the screen. When people make eye contact, they feel instinctive fear. The activity of the brain’s tonsils, which control anxiety and fear, increases, and stress increases,” the professor warns. To reduce brain strain during online meetings, you should periodically look away from the screen.
Turn on motivation - three exercises to train the striatum of the brain
If you want to increase your productivity or continue to walk and exercise your muscles, the activity of the motivation switch, the striatum, is important. According to Shinohara, with ingenuity, the functionality of this structure can be improved. So how can you train your striatum?
Exercise 1: Express movements with sound
“The striatum is a structure that is activated when you initiate a new action. If you resolutely begin to implement it, the striatum will immediately start up, enthusiasm will appear, and you will continue to act. Action has this property - once you start, it’s difficult to stop,” Shinohara emphasizes.
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It all depends on the brain - whether there is a desire to work or not. Therefore, the brain that does not want to work should be tricked a little: break the work into small parts, telling yourself “only spend five minutes on this” or “you just need to get the documents in order.”
If you use onomatopoeia, your brain activity will be stronger. “Onomatopoeia activates the brain. As a result, the functionality of the striatum also increases. For example, get up, walk around, sit down, take your documents and put them in order. At the same time, try to express your actions with onomatopoeia,” the professor advises.
The striatum is a structure that links action with pleasure, making it easy to deceive. During training, say the phrase: “The muscles are happy!”, and this will also benefit the activity of the striatum.
Exercise 2: Visualize your actions
Another effective way to increase striatal activity is to visualize your actions in detail.
“When we say we have to do something, only the part of the brain associated with speech and hearing is activated. In other words, while only words are spoken, the striatum, which leads to action, is not activated. So visualize your actions as if you were watching a video,” recommends Shinohara.
For example, if you want to go for a run but don't have the energy, try imagining yourself running down the street.
“Then imagine your actions as if you had a lens instead of eyes. Start by lacing up your sneakers, standing up, and opening the door. The activity of the motor zone of the cerebral cortex will increase, and this will lead to real action,” says the specialist.
Exercise 3: Take frequent breaks and let your brain cool down by drinking water or cooling your neck.
Some people are worried that they can't keep up, Shinohara notes.
Instead of trying to increase striatal activity again after a loss of concentration, it is easier to maintain its activity by taking a break after 10-15 minutes.
“During breaks, breathe deeply. This results in dominance of the parasympathetic nerve, which calms and makes it easier to concentrate. If you move around a little, such as going to the toilet or walking around the room, it will be easier for the striatum to activate. It is also effective to “cool” the brain. Brain performance decreases as its temperature rises. Cold water or cooling the neck, through which large arteries such as the carotid pass, facilitate brain function,” the professor emphasizes.
Due to individual characteristics, these methods may not be effective every day. Try it first and if it works, keep doing the exercises. If one method doesn't work, try another. Take on new challenges and you will be able to keep your brain young.
Kikunori Shinohara is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, Suwa University. Specializes in brain science, physical and mental health. Explores the relationships between everyday activities such as games, exercise, learning and brain activity. Conducts research in areas such as the development of educational materials for brain training, gambling prevention and brain rehabilitation.
InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.
BrainApps
The service creates an individual training program based on the results of the initial test. The user will have to develop memory, thinking, creativity, logic and attention. The workouts last 5 minutes.
The site contains more than 90 games in which you need to solve anagrams, remember the position of colored cells, find a pair for an object, and so on. But not all of them are available in the free version.
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