Ben Rainwho specializes in social media science, sat down with us to talk about brain hacks and ways we can improve our brain health.
Ren, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, amassed a huge following after one of his videos went viral in 2020. Since then, he’s dedicated his platform to educating people on neuroscience topics, creating compelling short videos. In short, to more than 600,000 followers on tik tok.
As we get older, in our thirties and forties, the brain size It goes down naturally. Some areas of the brain shrink faster than others, most notably the frontal lobe, which is responsible for high-level brain functions such as memory, problem solving, reasoning, and judgment. When the brain shrinks, many complications that affect mental function occur. As a result, you are more likely to experience memory loss, difficulty performing everyday tasks, and even an increased risk of developing disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Although you can’t prevent aging, there are ways to help keep your brain healthy, says Raine.
Tip #1: Incorporate physical activities into your daily routine
Exercising is beneficial not only for physical health, but also for mental health. Several studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to develop mental disorders. According to Raine, you don’t necessarily have to be a marathon runner to keep your brain healthy either.
“I encourage people to think about what they’re doing now and raise their bar,” he says. Whether you are walking for 15 minutes or swimming in the pool, any type of physical exercise is recommended if you want to maintain a healthy brain.
Tip 2: Keep your brain active with brain stimulation activities
Our brains are similar to our muscles in that we have to train different parts to keep them in good shape. Reading is a great activity if you want to practice different functions of your brain. a study Show that games that engage the brain, such as Sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles, can improve brain function in people over 50. However, Rein warns us to avoid most paid brain training apps because their services often lack research to back up their claims.
Tip #3: Participating in social activities helps your brain
Active participation in social interaction can help strengthen your brain health. Simply spending time with friends and family, and avoiding long periods of social isolation, has a positive effect on mental health. However, it is also important to think about the type of interactions we have: Are you constantly meeting new people and having complex conversations, or do you live a repetitive lifestyle?
Extra Bonus: Try This Night Vision Trick
Also, Rein taught us a cool trick that will help you see better in the dark. When you notice something in the distance at night, instead of looking directly at the object, use your peripheral vision. You will notice that when you do this, the object appears brighter. In our eyes we have photoreceptors called rods and cones. Rods detect lower light, while cones detect higher levels of light and color. Rods are more abundant at the ends, so things are seen more clearly when looking a little off center. Although this trick may only seem useful for stargazing, it may help protect you if you are followed at night.
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