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Brain Yoga
By Richard Nantel | June 18, 2007
For the last six weeks, I’ve been learning about brain plasticity theory. This has been a life-changing experience for me. Research showing that the brain can significantly change itself through learning is exciting, inspiring, and life-affirming. The promise that exercising your brain through new mental challenges can help keep Alzheimer’s disease and dementia at bay is immensely motivating.
There’s a dark side to brain plasticity, however. Research indicates that, whereas learning forges new neural connections and brain health, routine and lack of mental challenge make your brain less plastic. Less plasticity means it becomes harder to learn new skills. Research also suggests that lower levels of brain plasticity make you more rigid in your thoughts, less innovative, and less creative.
Learning keeps our brains flexible. Learning affects our brain as yoga affects our body’s joints, muscles, and ligaments. A brain subjected to an existence of routine and lack of stimulation creates a brain that can’t touch its toes.
This has significant repercussions for workforce learning. Keeping someone in the same job position doing the same tasks for years may make it much harder for a person to learn new job skills later, especially if that person does not pursue mentally challenging activities outside of the workplace.
What all this suggests is that there are significant benefits in providing an environment for your workforce that encourages learning, even if the tasks being learned aren’t applicable to a person’s job.
What could this look like?
- A library. Every brick and mortar organization should have a library. This doesn’t need to be elaborate, just a bookshelf with stimulating reading materials people can borrow and to which they can donate books they have read.
- A quiet room with sudoku, chess boards, and crossword puzzles. Give them a peaceful place to escape from the barrage of e-mails and phone calls they normally deal with.
- Language courses. Bring someone in once a week to teach a language, or purchase online or DVD-based language skills courses.
- Lunchtime Tai Chi classes. Apparently, Tai Chi has a positive effect on the area of the brain responsible for focus and concentration.
- A sound-proof room with a keyboard. Research indicates that learning to play a musical instrument provides a marathon workout for the brain.
The world’s best employers have for years been providing their employees with an exercise room or have been subsidizing their gym memberships. These companies know that fit employees are more productive, have a more positive outlook, and are less likely to call in sick.
Brain plasticity theory now suggests that providing team members with mental challenges will create a workforce capable of easily learning new job skills.
Topics: Brain, Brain plasticity, Health, Neuroplasticity |
June 19th, 2007 at 8:51 am
I would love to work at the company! Sign me up.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Very interesting blog. I really like your list of ways to stay active. Another possibility for staying sharp is a brain fitness program. One that i reccomend is called the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, http://www.positscience.com. It is developed by one of the leaders in the brain plasticity studies Dr. Mike Merzenich. The website shows results of his scientific studies and would interest anyone wanting to learn more about the brain as a whole.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Donald: I read about Dr. Merzenich in Dr. Norman Doidge’s book, “The Brain That Changes Itself.” I’m very impressed with Dr. Merzenich’s work and plan to investigate the Posit Science program you mentioned.
July 18th, 2007 at 7:37 am
I AM FASCINATED BY THIS RESEARCH AS AN EDUCATOR. WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO DISPLAY FRUSTRATION THRU BEHAVIOUR HAS BEEN A GROWING CHALLENGE. FIGURING OUT WAYS TO IDENTIFY THE BRAIN WEAKNESS AND HELP THEM DEVELOP WOULD BOOST LEARNING, SELF-ESTEEM AND EVENTUAL PRODUCTIVITY IN THEIR ADULT LIFE. WHAT BOOKS/EXERCISES CAN HELP IDENTIFY AND THEN PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT LESSONS?
August 8th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I have been drawn to this research ever since I began working with severe substance abuse and dependency. It is inspiring that individuals who have suffered brain damage due to chemical dependency can heal their brain through challenging learning experiences. This is useful material in the Family Groups we run for the families of individuals in recovery.
November 29th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Practicing yoga 2 hours a day centers and enables me to gain a fresh look on life and reality. Yoga is easier to practice daily once you have a partner to practice with.
January 7th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Great post on brain yoga. Enjoyed the tips on exercising the brain:-)
June 25th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I practice yoga and it has not only kept me in shape, but my mental awareness has increased as well. I’ve always believed it is just as important to exercise your brain as well. I play chess with my son regularly, and sudoku also. I am interested in any type of game or puzzle that challenges me. My son is 8 and has been around this as well and he has been moved into the gifted students class in school recently.