We know that exercise is good for the body, but it’s also incredibly good for the brain. As the authors of “The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness: 18 Interviews with Scientists, Practical Advice, and Product Reviews to Keep Your Brain Sharp” point out, physical exercise is one of the four pillars of brain fitness, the other three being good nutrition, stress management, and mental stimulation.  Exercise gets rid of harmful stress chemicals and it boosts problem-solving, planning, and attention. Getting more exercise will help you improve your cognitive functions whether you’re a high school or college student, part of the work force, or an elderly person in retirement.

Below you’ll find interesting data from two books, filled with information on how our brains work, which describe the science behind the discovery that our brain functions much better when we exercise.   

The First Brain Rule is to Exercise In the New York Times bestseller “Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School”, Dr. John Medina—a developmental molecular biologist focused on the genes involved in human brain development—shares 12 rules that will improve the functioning of  your brain so that you can get the most out of it.  He explains that the first rule for getting your brain to work at its best is to exercise.  Dr. Medina argues that if we were to design an almost perfect anti-brain environment, it would look like our current classrooms and work cubicles.

Why?

Because a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)–which builds and nourishes the infrastructure of cell circuitry in the brain—is created when you’re physically active. Dr. Medina basically calls BDNF brain fertilizer, and he equates a group of kids sitting around in a classroom listening to a lecture, or an employee sitting in a cramped cubicle typing away at his computer, with a light bulb that is turned off. However, when the kids are out on the playground, or the employee is walking to work, the light bulb is turned on.    He suggests that employees have “walking meetings” in a treadmill conference room, that they move around the office as they speak on the phone, or that they sit on exercise balls and bounce up and down as they read their e-mails.  Creative solutions can also be found to get kids in the classroom to be more physically active.

In addition, Dr. Medina explains that in 18 studies of older adults, those who exercised outperformed those who did not in long-term memory, reasoning, attention, problem-solving, abstract thinking, and more. He goes on to say that an active lifestyle means half the risk of dementia and half the risk of cognitive impairment for these older adults. In this time of increased longevity, regular exercise is an important protective element against the progression of age, if we hope to live not just longer, but better.

Two more reasons why exercise improves cognition are the following: First, exercise increases oxygen flow to the brain, which reduces brain-bound free radicals. In addition, in order to get more oxygen to the brain, you need more blood vessels, and exercise increases and deepens blood vessels. And second, exercise acts directly on the molecular machinery of the brain itself; it increases neurons’ creation, survival, and resistance to damage and stress.

How Exercise Promotes Learning In “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain”, Dr. John Ratey, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, contends that “exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimize brain function.”  In his book, he explains how sustained aerobic exercise promotes learning in three main ways. First,exercise activates the executive functioning area of the brain, or the frontal cortex.  This activation makes people more attentive, less impulsive, and less fidgety.  When someone can sustain their attention for a longer period of time, it promotes their ability to sort though information and better absorb it. Dr. Ratey explains that the second way in which exercise improves the functioning of the brain is that it improves the environment in which the nerve cells in our brains live.  It does this by promoting the release of neurotransmitters, hormones, and other elements of brain chemistry which help prime these cells to perform their functions efficiently.

Third, exercise promotes neurogenesis, or the process of growing new brain cells. Although for many years it was believed that the number of neurons  in the adult brain remained fixed, research conducted in the last few years has shown otherwise.  Specifically, exercise adds more brain cells in the area of the brain which has to do with learning and memory, which is an areacalled the hippocampus, also known as “The Grand Central Station” for memory. In fact, Dr. Ratey goes on to say that there’s nothing that we know of that adds new brain cells better than exercise.

So, for how long should you exercise? Dr. Ratey recommends that you exercise about thirty minutes a day, almost daily.

As an aside, teachers and parents will want to read about the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois–documented in“Spark”–which put the local school district of 19,000 kids first in the world in science test scores. Conclusion As Dr. Medina points out, exercise strengthens muscles and bones, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, regulates appetite, improves fluid intelligence, decreases risk for heart disease, decreases chances of diabetes, improves long-term memory, and has many more benefits.  For your body’s health, and for your brain’s health, make exercising a part of your regular routine.  Be sure to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Marelisa Fábrega is a guest blogger for PickTheBrain.  She blogs about creativity, productivity, and simplifying your life over at Abundance Blog at MarelisaOnline.

Marelisa is the author of the ebook “How to Be More Creative – A Handbook forAlchemists”

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Most people are on a quest to increase their productivity in order to do less and achieve more. Tips on how to organize your passwords, instructions on how to handle e-mail, advice to take creativity breaks, and information on how to apply Stephen Covey’s four-quadrant matrix are examples of advice that can help you become more productive.

However, the most important productivity tool that exists is your mind, and your moods have a powerful effect on your mind’s ability to function efficiently and effectively. Therefore, one of the most important things you can do to increase your productivity is learning how to self-regulate your moods. Fortunately, your body is fully equipped to help you do just that. Below you will find seven ways to help you self-regulate your moods.

1. Breathing

Since breathing is something we can easily control and regulate, it’s a useful tool for achieving a relaxed and clear state of mind. Andrew Weil, M.D.–a world-renowned pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing approach which encompasses body, mind, and spirit–, advices the following: “Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems.”

One of the breathing exercises that he recommends is the 4-7-8 or Relaxing Breath, a natural tranquilizer for your nervous system. Simply place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. Then follow these steps:

• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. In addition, exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation.

2. Massage

Giving yourself a massage is another great way to elevate your mood. Deepak Chopra, an internationally recognized expert on the mind-body connection, is a big proponent of self-massage for mood regulation. He indicates in his book “Grow Younger, Live Longer”, that a massage gives you access to your inner pharmacy, and a slow, calming massage releases natural relaxing chemicals. You should gently massage your scalp as if you were shampooing your hair; then apply oil to your forehead, cheeks, chin, and ears; slowly massage the back of your ears and your temples; also, massage your feet.

3. Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

This is basically an emotional version of acupuncture, except needles aren’t used. Instead, you stimulate energy meridian points on your body by tapping on them with your fingertips. It’s very easy to learn and very effective in helping you to release any negative emotions you may be feeling and altering your mood. You can get the EFT manual for free at www.emofree.com, and there are several videos on YouTube that show basic EFT routines you can use.

4. Laughter

Nature has provided yet another way to help activate your relaxation response: laughter. Over the past several years countless studies have been conducted that show the positive effects that laughing has on one’s physical and mental health. Laughter is one of the body’s best coping mechanisms for the normal stress of life, and is also conducive to increased problem solving abilities and creativity. Pioneers in laughter research–such as Dr. William Fry of Stanford University–have documented the many benefits associated with a hearty laugh, such as the following:

• Laughter decreases stress hormones in the body such as cortisol and adrenaline.
• When we laugh our bodies release hormones and chemicals that have positive effects on our system.
• Laughing raises your mood; joyfulness through laughter is the fastest way to create a positive state of mind.
• When used in conjunction with conventional care, laughter can reduce pain and aid the healing process. Norman Cousins, a prominent political journalist, author, professor, and world peace advocate, details in his memoir, “Anatomy of an Illness”, that after being diagnosed with a painful condition called ankylosing spondylitis he would watch Marx Brothers films to help him ease the pain. He reported that 10 minutes of laughter allowed him up to two hours of pain-free sleep.

5. Music and Sound

Music and sound can also be used to help you change your mood. In “Writing the Mind Alive”, Laura Trichter Metcalf and Tobin Simon explain that Baroque music—such as Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Pachbel’s “Canon”–has been shown to synchronize brain waves at about sixty cycles per second, a frequency associated with increased alpha waves. In turn, alpha is a frequency of mind associated with relaxation. In addition, you can refresh yourself with the gentle whisper of a white-noise machine or a table fountain.

6. Stretch

Your physiology has an enormous impact on your mood. Stretch; by relaxing tense muscles you will improve your mood. Lean your right ear down to your right shoulder and elongate the left side of your neck at the same time. Now do the same on the other side. Next, look down and drop your chin towards your chest. Then slowly allow your head to roll to the right and then to the left. Repeat these exercises gently until you feel yourself losing up.

Raise your arms; interlace your fingers over your head with your palms facing downward. Inhale and raise your arms upward with your fingers stills interlaced; then exhale and release. Turn your torso to the right and to the left as far as you can. Try a few shoulder circles as well.

7. Exercise

Go out for a jog or a brisk walk. Studies show that one of the quickest and surest ways to boost your mood is to exercise. Physical exercise helps your body to release stress hormones, generates endorphins, increases levels of serotonin, and balances the brain.

Conclusion

Although many people feel that they’re hapless prisoners to their moods, your body is equipped with feel good hormones and other chemicals which you can easily tap into in order to quickly alter your mood. Using your inner pharmacy to elevate your mood is fast, easy, and inexpensive. In addition, a calm mood will put you in the ideal state of mind to be able to function in an efficient and productive manner so that you’re free to create and get through the items on your to-do list.

Written by Marelisa Fabrega who blogs at http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com.

“We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many books, articles and blog posts have been written on the subject of productivity. Many of these contain great advice, including things such as: check your e-mail in bulk, and only twice a day; touch each paper that comes across your desk just once; set a strict limit on the amount of time you spend on social networking sites; have clearly defined goals; break your goals down into milestones and then into small, achievable steps; schedule those steps into your day; and so on. These are all logical, linear, and progressive steps that you can, and should, take to become more productive.

However, by putting so much emphasis on the linear aspects of productivity – that is, on things such as organization and time management – the non-linear, quantum leap aspects of productivity are being neglected. The other side of productivity involves synchronicity instead of decluttering, serendipity instead of creating processes, and coincidences instead of daily planners.

Coincidences

“Coincidence” is defined in Wikipedia as “the noteworthy alignment of two or more events or circumstances without obvious causal connection.” Swiss psychologist Carl Jung devoted a large part of his work to the study of “meaningful coincidences”, or synchronicity, and how seemingly chance occurrences can move our lives forward significantly. Sitting at a sidewalk café you overhear a conversation at the next table which you incorporate as a brilliant plot twist in the novel you’ve been struggling to finish for the past year; a book you pick up from the discount table at your neighborhood bookstore opens to a significant passage; a missed train starts a chain of events that changes the direction of your life; and so on.

Serendipity

Serendipity can be described as good fortune, luck, or a fortunate accident. It’s the effect by which you accidentally discover something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. Two examples of serendipity are: Fleming’s discovery of penicillin and the creation of the Post-It Note by a 3M research and developer.

In “Do Less, Achieve More”, Chin-Ning Chu explains that the field of quantum physics has discovered that an electron inside an atom, under the proper stimulus, instead of traveling smoothly from one orbit to another, disappears from one orbit and reappears in another. That is, it makes a quantum leap. By planning meticulously how you’re going to achieve your goals, how many calls to prospects you’re going to make each day, how much time you’re going to devote to your writing without allowing any interruptions, and so on, you’re moving forward in a linear fashion. And with discipline and consistency it’s very likely that you’ll achieve many of your life goals. However, by allowing yourself to be pulled forward by sudden, quantum leaps, you could go much farther.

Believing in the phenomenon of coincidences and serendipity does not mean that you shun work and sit cross-legged waiting for the universe to deliver your dreams to your doorstep. It simply means that you plan your days utilizing the best organization and scheduling tools, tips, and advice you can find, while leaving the door open to startling, dramatic occurrences.

Three Methods for Attracting Coincidences and Serendipity

The first thing you can do to begin attracting more coincidences into your life is to consciously expect for coincidences to happen. When they do occur, acknowledge them. As you’re writing down your goals always include the phrase “This or something better for the best of all concerned.” With this phrase you’re sending out an invitation for things even better than those that you have envisioned for yourself to come into your life.

The second thing you can do is to let go of attachment to only one outcome. A lot of people fail to notice that what they’ve been striving for is right in front of them because it doesn’t come to them in the way that they had expected and it doesn’t look exactly like what they had envisioned.

A third method is to put yourself in harmony, or create inner order; create an environment within yourself that attracts coincidences and synchronicity. You can do this through meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, or even by spending time in mindful contemplation in nature.

Conclusion

By putting together the logical, methodical, step-by-step side of productivity, with the nonlinear, accidental discovery, sudden quantum leaps aspect of productivity, you can accomplish a lot more than by relying on simply one of these two aspects. Plan your day, but expect for things even better than those that you have planned to happen.

This guest article was written by Marelisa Fabrega, Founder and CEO of http://www.marelisa-online.com. For more information on meditation and other techniques to live and create your optimal life, visit her squidoo lens at www.squidoo.com/better-better-and-better.

Photo: igorms.