think clearly

5 Ways to Think More Clearly: Brain Health and Mental Maintenance

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Kevin Bergen | CATEGORIES: productivity tips, self improvement

Your friend texts you about their frustrating day, your taxes have to be filed, the radio spouts news of another disaster somewhere, and you still haven’t taken your car in for its oil change.  With the wonders of technology and high-speed interaction between us all, we’re finding it more and more difficult to keep our mental machinery chugging away at optimum performance.  What you need is scheduled maintenance.

Just like your car, your brain needs fuel and regular care to perform like you need it to.  If you drive your Ferrari too many miles without adding gasoline, it will sputter and quit on you.  If you go months without replacing oil and tires and hoses and belts, your Maserati will eventually respond with sluggishness or even more catastrophic ends.  Your brain is precision crafted—there is no substitute.  Here are five things to make sure your brain and mind keep humming along to serve your increasing needs:

1)      Sleep! Deprive your brain of sleep long enough and you’ll simply go crazy.  Your brain needs sleep to organize what’s happened during the day. Memories are processed and learning is cataloged during sleep.  Don’t get enough sleep, and you’ll simply not think clearly.

2)      Meditate.  Very different from sleeping, meditation is focused concentration on right now.  It gets your brain functioning in different wave patterns by clearing your thoughts and keeping your mind in the present—not worried about the future, not haunted by the past, but simply focused on right now.  Your brain finds peace in mindful meditation, and that produces rejuvenation.

3)      Experience beauty.  For some, this is the same as creativity, but not all of us are creative types.  Soak in what you find to be beautiful.  Some find beauty in the purr of an engine, others find it in a baby’s laugh.  This is what generations have referred to when they advise us to “stop and smell the roses.”  Whether you find beauty in flowers, in a fast pitch at a baseball game, or in the grandeur of nature, “beauty appreciation” is the brain’s opportunity to stop and function in a different mode.

4)      Experience the spiritual.  This isn’t your mother nagging you to go to church.  It’s an invitation to open your mind to awareness of something beyond the physical and visible.  For some this comes through study of quantum theory while others may experience it in religious worship.  The 12-steps refer to it as appreciation or awareness of a “higher power,” or something bigger or different than all of this and us.

5)      Veg!  In addition to sleeping and meditating, your brain needs time to let go and roam where it may.  You might “veg” by perusing Facebook or a magazine.  Some people might just exist for a period of time in front of TV news or a rerun of a mindless sitcom.  In men, “vegging” actually releases a hormone that produces a sense of calmness and can be useful to let go of the day’s stress.

While none of these five suggestions are helpful when practiced in excess, they each add to brain health.  So to prevent your brain from pinging or backfiring, give it a tune-up with these five maintenance activities, and your thinking will be clear and smooth

Kevin Bergen, MFT, is a freelance writer and the curator of  www.kevinbergen.com

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  • http://hanofharmony.com The Vizier

    Hi Kevin,

    With all the things we need to get done everyday, it can be hard to think clearly. I am glad that you have shared 5 ways to think more clearly with us. Here are some of the thoughts as I read through your article.

    1. Sleep

    Sleep is definitely vital to thinking clearly. But it is not just enough to get enough sleep. I feel it is also important to sleep well. That means we should try our best not to go to bed with worries or problems on our minds. I suggest that we lay out the best approach to whatever is bothering us so that we are clear on what we have to do when we wake up. This way we will sleep better because there is nothing weighing heavily on our minds.

    5. Veg

    This is also a great way to think better. I usually veg by reading historical epics, watching historical epics or just reading comics. I feel that reading or watching great stories is a good way for me to veg and relax.

    Thank you for sharing this lovely article! :)

    Irving the Vizier

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Irving, such a thoughtful (pun intended!) comment! I agree with your thoughts on sleeping “well”–that’s very important. I could write a whole article on each of these five points, right?

      Kevin

  • http://www.Mazzastick.com Justin | Mazzastick

    When I first started my blog on Personal Development several months ago I was staying up until all hours of the night and getting little rest. Eventually I had to get back to a schedule that would give my mind and body more rest.

    “Veg” or “chill” time is essential and I realize how much it is needed in order to keep me healthy and sane.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Justin, most people don’t realize that testosterone’s effect on men is to relax them, and one of the ways we produce this hormone is to chill out.

      Thanks for the comment, and keep veggin’!

      Kevin

  • http://www.peppervirtualassistant.com/ Marco Paulo

    Very nice post! The world seems to be spinning around so fast that everyone is in a hurry. We work so hard that we don’t even get adequate sleep. This shouldn’t be taken lightly for this could lead to emotional and mental instability.

    We really need to have enough sleep so that we could think clearly. Meditation can also help us increase our life force and to be more focused.

    Most of the time, I veg by watching spoof movies. It makes me think less and relaxes my mind. Thanks for sharing your maintenance tips.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Marco, increasing our life force is ALWAYS a good thing, right?? :) Enjoy those spoof movies to relax and later be more focused! Thanks for the comment!

      Kevin

      • http://www.peppervirtualassistant.com/ Marco Paulo

        My pleasure Kevin. I had a good time reading your article. Keep on writing!

  • http://www.yourbusinessyourself.com Sue Mitchell

    You nailed it! And I agree with having sleep at #1. That seems to be the first thing to go when there’s a lot going on, and it’s the one we need the most. Great list.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Thanks very much, Sue! This time of year is difficult for many of us after we’ve “Sprung ahead” with daylight savings time.

      Happy sleeping!

      Kevin

  • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

    Hey folks, you can hear an audio version of this article here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23850882/LL01MindMaint.mp3

    And it’s also referenced on my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/tccrg

    Kevin

  • http://facebook.com/missiondrivenbrand Rob Pene

    Dude, thanks for highlighting “experience the spiritual”…I feel like I’ve neglected that part of my personal maintenance lately and need to get back on it :)

    Super insightful post, I’m going to head over and listen to the audio version while I’m working!

    Thanks again!

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Rob, thanks a million! Hope your spiritual path gets clearer!

      Kevin

  • http://www.happinesshereblog.blogspot.com Jennifer

    Ha! Vegging releases a beneficial hormone in men – that is too funny. Thanks for bringing up the importance of experiencing beauty on a regular basis. I can sense a literal, physical change in my body when I see something truly beautiful, like a sunrise or mountain view. Great post.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Jennifer, yep! Women get upset at men for sprawling on the couch because women don’t get the same effect. It’s physiological, though.

      Thanks for the comment–I totally relate to a “physical change in [the] body” when seeing something beautiful!

      Kevin

  • http://www.fredtracy.com Fred Tracy

    I like the analogies you used a lot. The brain is indeed a lot like a car, and if you don’t take care of it, it’s likely to fall apart even faster!

    I especially liked #5, although I tend to naturally veg a lot so I may be a little biased. I thought you were being serious about the man vegging chemical until I read the above comment, lol. It’s not too far fetched.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Hey Fred, I was serious–read my reply above. And as I said in the article, ANY of these items practiced in the extreme is not helpful. Maybe get more balance between your veg time and productive activity??? :)

      Kevin

  • http://www.mysticworship.com Ramesh Raghuvanshi

    You had not included physical exercises that also very important.When brain tried naturally blood supply to brain reduced and we are feeling fatigue depression, start physical movements immediately blood start to flow in brain and you are strong again for work.

    • http://www.kevinbergen.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      You’re completely correct, Ramesh! Too short a piece to cover everything, but exercise is indeed helpful if not necessary!

      Kevin

  • http://www.socialmediasvcs.com Becky

    A nice reminder of some of the basics we need to pay more attention to…and by doing so, they will promote not only mental clarity, but also physical improvements, like lowering blood pressure, etc. Not to mention if you pair them simultaneously, you can create a synergistic effect. Thanks for the post, Kevin!

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Becky, thanks very much for the comment! Synergy is just a win-win-win, huh?

      Kevin

  • http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/how-to-avoid-the-passion-pit-in-your-small-business-audio-podcast/ Donna Maria Coles Johnson

    Thank you for these great reminders. For me, going running brings everything together. I can meditate, veg out, experience beauty at the same time. It’s also a very spiritual experience for me, combining my mind and my body to take care of my temple. In fact, I get everything but sleep out of it! Thanks for the fundamental but important advice!

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Donna, you women have the multi-tasking thing down! That’s so cool that you can do 4 out of these 5 things at once!

      Kevin

  • http://www.businesstooligans.com Jay Rockman

    I like to take 5 deep breaths… There is a great song by Lazyboy called “Inhale Positivity…” everyone who appreciates this post should check it out.

    Great article, great insight!

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Jay, thanks for the music tip! A song I’ll definitely have to check out!

      Kevin

  • http://www.healthandsafetytrainers.ca/scissor_lift_training.html Scissor lift training toronto

    This is awesome blog. This is too informative. I appreciate your work .The world seems to be spinning around so fast that everyone is in a hurry. We work so hard that we don’t even get adequate sleep. This shouldn’t be taken lightly for this could lead to emotional and mental instability. Soak in what you find to be beautiful. Some find beauty in the purr of an engine, others find it in a baby’s laugh. This is what generations have referred to when they advise us to “stop and smell the roses.” Whether you find beauty in flowers, in a fast pitch at a baseball game, or in the grandeur of nature, “beauty appreciation” is the brain’s opportunity to stop and function in a different mode.it is so lovely. Thanks for sharing…

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Such nice feedback! Thank you very much!!

      Kevin

  • http://brandyousocial.com/blog Karl Sly

    Hey Kevin nice post. I think there’s a thin line between vegging and meditation. I find myself caught between the two on the more stressful days. Thanks for sharing.

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Karl, may your stressful days become fewer! –Kevin

  • stephanie cliff

    tanx so verymuch kelvin.i agree with you.those are nice ones.never knew having less sleep can make ma brain less functional,u’ve made my day.

    • http://www.centercrg.com Kevin Bergen, MFT

      Stephanie, I hope you’re getting more sleep! :) –Kevin

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  • http://imobilerescue.com/ Ryan

    Experiencing Beauty is something I want to do more of. Thanks for reminding me. It definitely does change the function of the brain quite awesomely.