The brain is a three-pound body organ that thinks. This process involves countless interactions in which the brain perceives stimuli and triggers emotional and physical responses. The brain develops by receiving new stimuli, which trigger the growth of new neural connections. Exercise--physical and intellectual--helps increase brain development in the young and old alike.
Walk
Physical exercises also exercise the brain. Physical activity is a key component of brain development in young children, according to the North Dakota State University Extension Family Science Specialist, stimulating physical brain growth as well as triggering the formation of neural connections critical for learning. But exercise also continues to maintain and develop brain function in adults.
The Health Magazine of the University of South Carolina reports that people who walk at least 45 minutes three times a week show substantive improvement in cognitive abilities which otherwise decline with age. Walking is the best exercise for brain development, according to the Franklin Institute, because the increased blood flow to the brain raises oxygen and glucose levels, which help to increase memory and clear thinking.
Listen to Music
Listening to, and participating in making, music helps develop mathematical abilities in young children, according to the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Science, because both music and math functions are undertaken by the same region of the cortex. Music stimulates many aspects of brain function, according to the North Dakota State University Extension Family Science Specialist, and participating in the rhythm and repetition of musical activities is particularly helpful.
But music is not only helpful for brain development in the young; the Franklin Institute reports that music, especially when combined with activities that trigger other senses in unexpected ways, helps to activate underused neurological connections in the brain. They suggest listening to music while smelling flowers, or listening to falling rain while tapping out a rhythm with your fingers.
Cognitive Challenges
New cognitive challenges have actually triggered the growth of new neurons in adult rodent brains, according to the University of South Carolina Health Magazine. The Franklin Institute suggests engaging in a variety of challenges to trigger new activity in the brain and promote development of new neural connections. These can be small--like switching the use of your computer mouse to your opposite hand--or more extensive, like taking a class in tai chi, sculpture, or a new language, or traveling to provide the stimulation of new sights, sounds, and foods. Reading, crossword puzzles, and playing challenging board games also compel the brain to think helps boost brain power, according to the Franklin Institute.
References
- The Franklin Institute Resources for Science Learning: The Human Brain--Renew Exercise
- North Dakota State University Extension Service: Keys to Enhancing Brain Development in Young Children
- University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Science: Building Baby's Brain--Prime Times for Learning
- USC Health Magazine: The Aging Brain
