Do you value your brain?
Although our brain is our most valuable asset, most people do not bother to take care of their brain.
Do you take good care of your brain? If you do, or at least want to do so from now, you will want to know what is in this book: Brain Rules – 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School.
The author, John Medina is a developmental molecular biologist who compiled a set of principles called “Brain Rules” to explain how our brains work and how we can optimize our learning and cognitive abilities.
Reading Brain Rules changed my life. I had always imagined that a few hours of sleep was good enough. Didn’t Lord Buddha only sleep four hours, as we have been told. But of course, I don’t have a serene mind without stress like the Buddha did. Therefore, my brain needed the sleep. So I began to get enough sleep from then on.
Here is a summary of the brain rules from his book:
Rule 01. EXERCISE – Exercise boosts brain power.
Physical activity improves brain function by increasing oxygen flow and promoting the growth of new neurons.
See video on exercise.
Rule 02: SURVIVAL – The human brain evolved, too.
We don’t have just one brain—we have three. The lizard brain, the brain like a cat’s brain and the most powerful human brain.
Rule 03: WIRING – Every brain is wired differently.
And what we learn and experience throughout life changes our brain, rewiring it.
Rule 04: ATTENTION – People don’t pay attention to boring things.
We pay attention to and remember things better when they are presented in a meaningful and engaging way. Our brains can only focus on one thing at a time. Say bye to multitasking!
Rule 05: SHORT-TERM MEMORY – Repeat to remember.
Improve chances of remembering something by reproducing the environment in which you first learnt it.
Rule 06: LONG-TERM MEMORY – Remember to repeat.
Most memories will disappear within minutes. Make your long-term memory more reliable by incorporating new information bit by bit and repeating it at timed intervals.
Rule 07 SLEEP – Sleep well, think well.
Sufficient sleep is crucial for memory consolidation and overall brain health. Lack of sleep can impair cognitive function.
Rule 08: STRESS – Stressed brains don’t learn the same way as non-stressed brains.
Chronic stress can negatively impact the brain, impairing learning and memory. Reducing stress levels is essential for optimal brain function.
Rule 09: SENSORY INTEGRATION – Stimulate more of the senses at the same time.
Our senses evolved to work together. Vision, for example influences hearing. We learn best when we stimulate several senses at once.
See video on sensory integration.
Rule 10: VISION – Vision trumps all other senses.
Vision is our most dominant sense and take up half of the brain’s resources. Visual information is processed more effectively. We learn and remember best with pictures, not through written or spoken words.
Rule 11: GENDER – Male and female brains are quite different.
Men’s and women’s brains differ structurally as well as biochemically. There are cognitive differences between males and females, which can influence learning styles. Understanding these differences can help create effective educational strategies.
Rule 12: EXPLORATION – We are powerful and natural explorers.
Babies model how we learn. Certain parts of the adult brain remain as malleable as a baby’s, enabling us to create neurons and to learn new things throughout our entire lifespan.
Brain Rules give insights into how our brains function. They offer practical recommendations that will help us optimize how we learn, remember and keep our brains healthy. I hope these insights help you become better, like they did for me.
Want to learn more about Brain Rules?
Check out this link from John Median’s site for chapter summaries.
Since the original book he has written additional books: Brain Rules For Baby, Brain Rules For Aging Well and Brain Rules For Work.
Here are a host of video tutorials from John Medina.
If you are interested in improving your brain, visit Mindculture
Mindculture.wordpress.com is my blog dedicated to all things brain.
Will you look after your brain from right now, today?
I look forward to your comments.
Images: thenakedscientists.com
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