In our last on a series about the right and left hemispheres of our brain, we look at how to keep our minds sharp. As we discovered in the last two posts, the two sides work together to help us process information. Here are some ways to keep the right and left sides working at their best:
- Crossword puzzles and word or number games, writing out lists. Reading daily is a good way to keep your mind sharp; writing (even on a small scale such as in a journal or writing a letter to someone) co-ordinates the two sides of your brain.
- Try doing something creative. The logical side of your brain will appreciate the mapping out of the steps, and sequences to the craft or art project, and the imaginative side will enjoy the use of colour and freedom to express creativity.
- Playing card games or board games will also engage both your right and left hemispheres. One side will enjoy the rules of the game, the other will work at helping you edge out your competition by picking up on subtle non-verbal clues in your opponents. 🙂
- Change things up – order something out of the ordinary at a restaurant, watch something that you normally wouldn’t be drawn to on TV, experiment with new music genres – the right brain will appreciate the spontaneity, while the left brain will be looking to sort out where to fit this into your already formed habits.
- Alternate left and right brain activities as a way to strengthen the skills of both. Even something as simple as creating a grocery list one week (left brain), followed by a spontaneous trip to the market the next to see what might entice you (right brain). Planning a trip (left brain), while keeping one or two days open for a “let’s see where the day brings us” opportunities (right brain).
When we know and appreciate the ways that our brain works, we can actively promote the formation of new brain cells and pathways that keep our minds in good shape.
Photo credit:Â https://unsplash.com/@olav_ahrens