Feeling Bored?

I found this article interesting and would like to share.....

Feeling bored? If so, that could mean that your brain is "hungry." Did you know that you can "feed" and keep your brain in shape, just like you can with your body? I've just been reading about what seems to be a growing movement to encourage people to do mental aerobics, or exercise for the brain.

Just like the body, your brain needs stimulation, or exercise, to keep its cells active and efficient. It's rather like the old saying, "use it or lose it." And it isn't only elderly people who may be concerned about such things as memory loss. According to Dr. Gary Small, the director of the Center on Ageing at the University of California, brain "ageing" can occur in people in their twenties or thirties. Evidently genetics plays a part in brain ageing, but only by about a third. The other two-thirds has to do with our environment and lifestyle choices.

The next time you're feeling bored or perhaps less than alert, why not try a little mental exercise to sharpen up those brain cells? I've started to collect some exercises, and here are just a few suggestions:

Try counting backwards from 100 to zero as fast as you can. Pick a letter from the alphabet and name 20 words that start with it as quickly as you can. Recite the names of all the teachers you've ever had. Switch to the other hand to do tasks. For example, if you are right-handed, use your left hand, and vice versa.

And one of my favorites is wiggle your toes! This is a good way to "wake up" your brain in the morning. While you're still in bed, slowly begin to move your toes, wiggling, scrunching and stretching them. Move them up and down, and then try just moving your big toes. This actually activates nerves that stimulate your brain. You can also do this if you've been sitting a while; it will help you become more alert.

So, put your mind to it!