Brain Boosting Acitivies
When thinking of ways to try to be healthy, being brain healthy is often not at the top of the list. There are a lot of things you can do to help encourage brain health in your family along with many different activities. Here are a few to do with your family as we are in Brain Awareness Week.
Breath Work and Deep Breathing
- Lay on your back, place one hand on the heart and one hand on the belly.
- Notice your breath and your heartbeat. Is it fast, medium, or slow?
- Take a deep breath in through your nose. Feel your belly, rib cage, and the heart center rise beneath your hands.
- As you breathe out, feel your belly, rib cage, and heart center fall. Do you feel the elevator going up and down with each breath?
- Start to make your elevator go even slower by making your breath slower.
- Repeat nine times. Notice your breath and heartbeat.
Talking at Family Dinners
Conversation, both talking and listening, is important. Good conversation promotes connection and asking questions allows your child for comprehensive thinking and to “figure things out” in a safe and loving environment. It also encourage problem solving.
Game Night
Beyond the relational aspect, family game nights are great for boosting brain skills and keeping your thinking sharp. Games teach strategy, memory, visual processing, logic & reasoning, and other skills that you (and your kids) need for success in school and life. Here is Reader's Digest best brain boosting games list.
Another way to encourage brain health is with foods containing Omega 3 Fatty Acids. For more on that check out the this blog post.
