6 Brain Exercises That Seem Weird But Can Definitely Make You Smarter

Have you ever wondered why some people can easily come up with creative ideas at a drop of a hat or have the ability to give quick responses? If you feel that you struggle to think creatively or quickly, there is some good news for you.

Your Brain Will Thank You If You Don’t Make It Feel Bored

Scientific research ^[1] shows that neurogenesis (the growth of new neurons) can occur in the hippocampus part of the brain. In other words, if we externally stimulate our mind on a regular basis, we can speed up the brain-building neurons and form new neurons in the process, causing us to become quicker and more creative in our thinking.

Standard brain training can help stimulate the brain but the key is conducting exercises differently from our normal practices. If we make a habit of giving ourselves new stimulations in our day-to-day routines, we will cultivate a more creative and smart thought process.

Try out these simple but effective exercises to get your mind thinking differently!

1. Switch Up Your Morning Routine

This may seem like a strange way to change the way you think but simply do a daily routine differently can help stimulate our brains in weird and wonderful ways.^[2] When we get stuck in the same routine every day, the brain activity in the large areas of our cortex start to decline which is counteracted when we switch up a routine.

Take your dog for a walk through a different route, eat something different for breakfast or watch a different TV program. Watching something different such as kids’ TV can help you notice the world through the wonderment of children’s eyes which is something we can often forget to do or take for granted.

2. Brush Your Teeth With Your Non-Dominant Hand

Doing activities with our non-dominant hand stimulates the opposite side of the brain and causes rapid expansion in the cortex that process information from the hand to the brain. Larger access to the right hemispheric functions as a result of using our non-dominant hand results in more creativity and intuition in our thought processes.^[3]

The best way is to brush your teeth with your other hand remembering to open the tube and put the toothpaste on the toothbrush using your non-dominant hand too.

3. Scan Items At The Supermarket

If you find you always visit the same aisle and know exactly where to head for your groceries, then your tunnel vision is stopping you from stimulating your brain and creating those new neurons.

Visit a different aisle and make sure you look from the top shelf all the way down to the bottom. Really take in what you usually don’t bother to see. Pick up ingredients, read the labels and really think about it. It’s all about being more mindful,^[4] and by doing this you’re breaking up your routine and getting your brain to experience something new or something you wouldn’t normally think of doing.

4. Read Differently

Listening to someone read or reading aloud, causes different parts of the brain to be stimulated than if we were just reading silently to ourselves.^[5]

Read a book aloud or read a book with a friend or partner, taking it in turns to read and listen. This will not only help stimulate those neurons but also experience a book in a whole different way.

5. Eat Unfamiliar Foods

Foods and smells cause connections between our noses and the emotional center of the brain. By switching up our food and experiencing new flavors and smells, we are stimulating the brain in a different way.

Along the lines of mindful eating, try a cuisine you’ve never eaten before. Really take in the smells, textures and all the ingredients that have gone into the dish. If you’re culinarily inclined, cooking it yourself will add to the experience.^[6]

6. Make More Social Connections Throughout Your Day

Interacting with people is one of the best ways to fire up our neurons and create more positive connections, upping our feel good factor to boot.^[7]

Stimulate your cognitive abilities by interacting with as many people as possible in your daily routine whether it’s with the shop assistant, coffee barista or your neighbor. Find as many opportunities as possible to say hello or have a small conversation.

Reference

[1]	^	http://ift.tt/2hveiJW
[2]	^	http://ift.tt/1Lvwhq9
[3]	^	http://ift.tt/1f5LvX6
[4]	^	http://ift.tt/1Kb0qgf
[5]	^	http://ift.tt/2hviDMU
[6]	^	http://ift.tt/2a7Nb52
[7]	^	http://ift.tt/17uQTMG

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Source: Lifehack.org