Humans have brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to change for better or worse at any age.
This flexibility of the brain plays a significant role in the development or decline of our brains, and how our distinct personalities are shaped. Neural connections can be forged or severed, and gray matter can thicken or shrink. These changes reflect transformations in our abilities.
For example, learning a new skill can wire new neural pathways in our brains, while aging may weaken certain neural pathways that once existed and result in our memories not performing as well as they once did.
Get physically active
From childhood through adulthood and into old age, physical activity has been shown time and time again to benefit brain health.
Taking a brisk walk before an exam or test could enhance your performance.
Physical activity affects children's brain structure from an early age, which, in turn, affects their academic performance.
Researchers discovered that children who are physically fit tend to have more gray matter in the frontal, subcortical, and temporal brain regions, as well as in the calcarine cortex.
Eat a brain-boosting Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean is the home to sun, sea, and foods known to have brain-boosting properties.Eating pistachios could improve cognitive processing and learning. The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. It also includes moderate amounts of dairy, fish, and wine, while red meat, poultry, and processed foods are limited.
Research discovered that people who follow a Mediterranean diet might have long-term brain protection. Study participants who consumed a Mediterranean diet retained more brain volume over 3 years than those not following the diet.
Expand cognitive abilities with training
Brain training has had mixed results in studies. While some research has shown that brain training improves memory and cognitive ability, other studies report that there is little evidence to support claims that brain-training programs improve everyday cognitive performance.Mastering the memory of loci training method could expand your memory capacity.Recent papers have determined that the type of brain exercise is an important factor in the outcome of brain-training session.
Learn a new language
In addition to brain training, another method you can use to give your brain a workout is to learn a new language or several foreign languages. Learning foreign languages ignites cognitive abilities in infants, benefits the aging brain, and sharpens the mind.Learn one or many foreign languages to slow down cognitive decline. The more languages a person learns, the faster their neural network reacts to process the accumulated data.
Study a musical instrument
Regardless of whether you study a musical instrument during childhood or adulthood, unleashing your inner Mozart will have a beneficial effect on your brain. Exposure to music at a young age contributes to improved brain development, establishes neural networks, and stimulates existing tracts in the brain.
Receiving musical training as a child has been demonstrated to prevent the deterioration of speech listening skills in later years and may ward off age-related cognitive decline.
