Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving …

John Medina has studied the factors that affect our brain’s performance and explains the importance of each. At first, they may seem basic and logical for an average person, but their combination reveals a bigger picture we often fail to see. These concepts are: • Survival: The human brain evolved based on the need to survive. • Exercise: Physical activities boost our brain performance. • Sleep: Brain functions reduce drastically after poor sleep. • Stress: A fair amount of pressure stimulates brain activity. • Wiring: When exposed to identical conditions, we react differently. • Attention: The brain does not focus on boring subjects. • Memory: We learn best through repetition. • Sensory integration: Engaging all senses helps acquire knowledge more effectively. • Vision: The brain remembers much faster when incorporating visuals into learning. • Meditation : Meditation relaxes the brain and improves function. • Gender: Male and female brains share executive differences. • Exploration: Curiosity boosts our learning ability. Understanding key factors influencing the brain's productivity will ensure we stay productive. John Medina poured his excitement into this knowledge to engage everyone interested in the topic as much as him. Now we can crack the code to our procrastination, anxiety, or exhaustion and turn our lives in a more promising direction.

Nowadays, the use of nursing homes is on the rise as more older people struggle mentally and physically, requiring professional help. But we can also recall names like Anthony Hopkins, Jane Fonda, or Morgan Freeman, whose minds are still as sound as when they were younger. The sharp contrast between the two mental images encouraged Medina to investigate its reasons. He explored several questions in the process: • Are there elements that influence the aging process? Yes, there are. If an individual adopts a passive lifestyle, they will likely age poorly. In contrast, an individual who embraces an active lifestyle generally ages gracefully. • Does adopting an active lifestyle translate to high intellectual prowess in old age? In tests that measure intellectual capacity, improvisation ability, memory, and problem-solving, results show that people who exercise do better than those with inactive lifestyles. • How much exercise is needed and what kind? It depends on the individual, so consultation with a physician is necessary. Generally, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise two to three times weekly can help immensely. According to research, physical exercises increase blood flow to the brain, supplying the glucose needed for the brain to carry out its functions. Thus, introducing physical activities in schools and workplaces is a good idea. For example, have meetings while walking or teach students while riding a stationary bicycle. The results of their general output and performance will be tremendous.

When life gives you lemons, take a nap . We often undervalue sleep in our hectic lifestyles, yet we all feel the consequences of a poor night's rest. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation seriously inhibits bodily functions in the long term. As obvious as it may sound, the brain needs sleep. People who experience sleep deprivation over extended periods begin to notice drops in cognitive abilities, which might descend further into paranoia, psychosis, hallucinations, and so on. We require sufficient rest to remain highly productive in our endeavors depending on specific needs. Cortisol is a hormone responsible for waking up, staying awake, and regulating stress. It specifically affects the hippocampus, a brain part critical for productive learning. Afternoon naps can boost cognitive performance and make your output consistent throughout the day. On the other hand, stress is not entirely unhealthy; its effects are adverse in some instances and positive in others. Stress improves cardiovascular functions during intense experiences. However, when it continues for a long time, it can scar blood vessels and cause blood clots — eventually leading to a heart attack and, in some instances, a stroke. Sometimes, when strain overflows, cortisol can prevent the production of new neurons. When stress comes in fair amounts, it also boosts the immune system and mobilizes white blood cells to fight in the body's weak areas. However, when strain prolongs, the opposite becomes true — white blood cells deplete, leaving the body vulnerable to diseases that could lead to autoimmune conditions. Stress in fair amounts also stimulates short and long-term memory. In fact, the brain performs better under a controllable amount of stress. Learning and data retention diminishes when severe stress levels last a long time. Insomnia and prolonged stress equally downgrade mental productivity. Therefore, individuals, schools, and businesses should build their work/teaching schedules around the sleeping patterns of students and employees. They should be intentional about breaks (nap zones) in the setup of these institutions and ensure that environments are stress-free. Did you know? According to an article submitted to The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in 2019, around 83.6 million adults in the United States have less than seven hours of sleep per day.

Our brains are not the same, even when subjected to identical situations. In fact, so much informs the inner workings of our brains that researchers still study them with finicky enthusiasm. The brain restructures itself in response to everything we learn and every unique situation we expose ourselves to. As a result, the brain has great difficulty focusing on boring things. It takes only a few seconds to capture the brain's attention and about ten minutes to hold it. The only way to focus longer is to excite the brain with something interesting to hold its attention for another ten minutes. When your brain is naturally unique, there is no point in comparing yourself to others.

The brain also has a memory capacity. When the brain receives information, it first reinterprets, re-organizes, or encrypts it before storing it. The brain doesn't keep this information in one place; it distributes it across the cortex. For example, it sends sound to the auditory cortex and sight-related information to the visual cortex. The more attention we give to interpreting, organizing, and encrypting new knowledge, the greater the chances of remembering that information. When emotions are in the mix, the possibility that we will recall information is even more likely. One factor in memory function is the ability to reproduce the specific circumstance regarding that information. So, when data passes through the brain neurons, we must pay attention to details to retain as much information as possible. It must be riveting and adequately structured with a sprinkling of emotion to allow us to remember necessary knowledge better. Numerous studies proved the effectiveness of such an approach by discovering the so-called Jennifer Aniston neuron. Some cells tend to respond to a particular irritant. Scientists found one such neuron that responded exclusively to the images of this beloved actress. It proves we must fill our brains with emotional value to retain new knowledge. The experiment also highlights the role of the environment, especially culture, in brain wiring. Two people can't have identical memories of one event because of different past experiences. That said, our memory maps are unique, and considering their design can aid in applying the best day-to-day management. What you do and learn in life physically changes what your brain looks like — it literally rewires it.

Juggle your sensories to light your brain The brain doesn’t multitask, yet it can’t help switching from one sense to another just to learn something. Many of us have heard about synesthesia, a condition that combines several sensory clues to interpret new information. While it is rare and found only in one in 2,000 people, all of us can use this insight to enhance our memory and learn better. Let's take a short detour to evolution. Our senses learned to cooperate in a joint mission of survival. The sounds of the mammoth signaled danger, but seeing the animal helped assess its level. Scientifically speaking, when the brain witnesses an occurrence, the senses pick up on it. The brain interprets the information through several electrical impulses sent to different brain parts. Then, it remodels the data and presents it to us as a whole — the various senses involved in the process help one another better convert the information. For instance, seeing others' lips as they articulate words supports direct hearing, helping decipher the information more clearly. Productivity can also significantly improve if we engage in activities that stimulate multiple senses at the same time. Another popular opinion is that vision trumps all other senses. Though believed to be infallible, our eyes can provide more information when cooperating with other senses. It is possible to begin to smell an object (an imaginary one that is not present) only after we have seen it. We can feel an insect crawling up our skin simply because we have imagined it. Sight surpasses all other senses, and we can harness this singular fact to increase brain effectiveness. People usually learn much faster and more effectively when a vivid image is attached.

Men and women aren’t from different planets, but their brains are The difference between males and females isn't just about body parts; our brains are also at variance. Whether we like it or not, the brain structure of men and women contrasts to the point of individual parts. While the functionality of the cortex or the amygdala differs between genders, the prefrontal cortex takes the prize. Responsible for decision-making, this part of the brain is thicker in women than in men. According to Medina, both genders process information differently, with reactions to similar or identical conditions also being different. In high-stress situations, males process information using the right hemisphere of their brains. They lose some translation details and only retain general information. It is generally the opposite for females, whose responses can be richer emotionally. Apparently, emotional response to the same situation is higher in women than men. Surprisingly, the amygdala, responsible for generating and conserving emotions, is larger in men than in women. However, there's no clarity regarding the functionality of this particular difference, which means further research continues. Along with functional brain differences, behavioral patterns also show marked variation between the two sexes. Women are naturally better at verbal communication than men, allowing their relationships to build. Besides, women tend to be closer to people of their gender; they can share deep secrets and insights they wouldn't reveal to someone else. For men, a relationship is built based on actions and activities done together rather than verbal communication. We must consider these factors to increase brain effectiveness in different sectors of society. Incorporating the unique elements of male and female brains must fit the frame of respectability and open-mindedness. The love for exploration and curiosity is common to both genders. The brain learns faster when its learning comes from an inquisitive mind. The longer the subject can keep our attention, the more we understand it. The learning process includes a few steps from the brain: discovery, conjecture, testing, and concluding. As a society, we should incorporate this method into workspaces, schools, and wherever learning is necessary. Furthermore, we must commit to gender-sensitive education.

Conclusion: The brain relies on several biological processes to enhance its function and performance. Regular exercise, proper sleep, soothing music, and visuals are some of the few activities that can improve the brain's performance. As it turns out, the ideas that have shaped the structure of our business and learning institutions are faulty, coming from a knowledge deficit. Hence, the productivity in these places often slumps. These ideas have led many to frustration, depression, and other disorders because certain factors haven't been considered to enhance productivity. For instance, mid-day naps are not a sign of laziness and are not pointless. A short 26-minute nap could increase the productivity of teams or individuals in the workspace by astounding degrees. Men and women learn and process information differently, which is one factor to consider when setting up learning centers or workplaces in the future. We generally learn better while on the go, and we can incorporate this discovery into meetings in the workplace. When all the senses are engaged in the learning process, it accentuates learning, and memory is usually enhanced. If incorporated into a learning environment, subjects' performance would skyrocket as they commit to newly memorized things easier. In general, adding photographs or visuals is a decisive factor that would help to recollect the stored data in the brain when needed. If we put all the factors into proper perspective, when adopted and practiced by individuals and institutions, we will be more productive in the long run. Try this: • Try to sleep for about seven-eight hours at night and take naps in the afternoon. • Meditate to induce sleep and get adequate rest. • Experiment with sports until you find one perfect for your schedule and liking. • Practice things you usually don't do to help new brain areas develop.