How to Boost Brain Power with These 4 Hobbies (June 2020)

How to Boost Brain Power with These 4 Hobbies (June 2020) How to Boost Brain Power with These 4 Hobbies in 2020 Image Source: iStockHobbies  were once regarded largely as a pleasant way of passing the time. But now, scientific research has shown that they not only divert and entertain, they also boost  brain power. Whether learning new skills or engaging in long-practiced pastimes, were either creating fresh neural pathways, or exercising the brain’s ability to organise, reorganise and process information, helping it to work faster and more efficiently.There is a vast field of literature on this topic, typified by the best-selling  Bouncing Back, in which Linda Graham and Rick  Hanson show us how to use powerful exercises that help rebuild our core well-being as well as ‘disaster-proofing’ our brains. Image Source: Amazon Check Price There is also much debate about the benefits of such gadgets as fidget spinners, puzzles and  other supposedly intelligence-developing executive  toys. But for the purposes of this post, we are focusing on just four regular and simple  pastimes and hobbies t hat have been scientifically proven to boost brain power. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. ReadIt has  been proven that reading is the simplest and most effective way  to boost brain power. Not only that, it also reduces stress. Reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds.  It enhances  comprehension, and increases empathy, according to  Gregory S Berns, the lead author of a 2014 study entitled ‘Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain’.Berns, who is also the author of  Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, and  How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain, found “neural changes” associated with “physical sensation and movement systems”, that suggested reading of non-fiction could transport you into the body of the protagonist in the book.“We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative se nse. Now were seeing that something may also be happening biologically,” Berns said.“The neural changes that we found associated with physical sensation and movement systems suggest that reading a novel can transport you into the body of the protagonist,” Berns says. “We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.”2. Take an Online CourseThe  worldwide web is a vast repository of educational portals that collectively form an invaluable  resource for entrepreneurs unable to commit to a full-time course of learning.There is a huge range of possibilities on offer,  from the quick bite-sized knowledge hits of Brain Pump  to more intensive online  courses on offer at  ALISON  and edX.DuoLingo, for example, promises users that you can learn a language for free. Its lessons are underpinned by gamification, offering a variety of speaking, listening, translation and multiple-choice challenges.Just some of the  neural benefits of bilingualism  are clearly set  out in  this  a TED-Ed  talk given by Mia Nacamulli.As Lizette Borreli pointed out in a post for  Medical Daily, “bilingualism may not necessarily make you smarter, but it can keep your brain healthy and active”.So if for some reason you are seriously stuck on the question of how to boost brain power, AGENT can’t think of a better and more effective response than directing you to a course on DuoLingo. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 3. Brainteaser  WorkoutsWhile  the notion that crossword puzzles have  a positive impact on brain activity is inconclusiveâ€"“there’s no evidence that doing a crossword puzzle will keep you out of a nursing home”, says Dr Kenneth Langa of the University of Michigan Medical Schoolâ€"even skeptical  scientists  conclude that any mental workout, especially combining it with a varied range of others, including  Sudoko, “will produ ce changes in those neural systems that support acquisition of the new skill”.For diehard ‘crossword only’ fans,  Dr Michael Merzenich suggests that you should set a time limit, or record the length of time it takes to complete, if you want to make your daily crossword puzzle challenge  your brain a little more.You might also consider the occasional  move out of  a ‘simple’  level  puzzle  into more challenging cryptic crosswords. Just as you succeed in physical fitness by raising the bar in the gym, the best way  to boost brain power through simple mental exercises is to incrementally increase  the difficulty of the tests over time.4. Play a Musical InstrumentIn this  revelatory TED-Ed Talk, educator Anita Collins says that while  listening to music makes multiple areas of the brain more engaged and active, playing an instrument makes that activity more like “a full body-brain workout”.The connections between music and neural activity have been actively probed and exp lored for the past two decades, across multiple categories. Of particular interest to AGENT readers will be  Daniel Levitin’s This is Your Brain on Music, which explores how our brains process music. Image Source: Amazon Check Price The  overall research areaâ€"including studies of the impact of music education upon general brain development in children and adults; links between singing and playing music and  improvements in  reading skills among disadvantaged children; as well as research  into how music can be used to assist people with brain injuries, physical trauma or disabilities  to improve physical and cognitive functionâ€"is fascinating, and TED-Ed  has devised a core of links to the key texts and audio-visual materials here.