Ten Tips for Optimal Brain Functioning
Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Am I out of my mind?" Optimal brain functioning is different for each of us, but we’d like for our brains to be healthy and working at their full potential.
I don’t pretend to have any medical knowledge beyond the average person. As an educator, I have studied the impact of the brain on learning. These are the ten best directives I have found to lead to optimal brain functioning.
1. Increased oxygen: The brain must have oxygen flowing into it for it to function well. Both exercise and increased water will produce this. If students are allowed to stand and stretch on a regular basis, this will help in the classroom. Some school districts have experimented with longer periods of recess, especially in the early grades, to see if it impacts classroom productivity. Early studies suggest there is a positive correlation between greater physical activity and improved classroom performance.
2. A healthy diet positively impacts both physical and mental functioning.
3. Extended uninterrupted sleep is necessary for optimal functioning. Since teachers do not have control over their students’ sleep habits, it may help to start the morning with a few stretches or even jumping jacks.
4. De-clutter! Both the mind and the space in which one functions, need order for optimal performance. As distractions are removed, greater clarity sets in.
5. Challenge the mind. Though this is the goal of every teacher, it is important to realize the brain is a muscle. Its long-term health is dependent on its pliability. It needs to be stretched just as other muscles do.
6. If a learner sees a purpose in the day’s subject matter, he/she is more motivated to become involved.
7. Create more connections. Every time a student learns something new, the brain makes a new connection. The more connections that the brain makes, the longer the memory will hold the information.
8. Engage has become something of a buzz word in educational circles within the last ten to fifteen years. But, it is one with merit. Students who are actively involved in their own learning process, take ownership of it. One element, of this engagement that is often overlooked, is reaction. Student memory will increase when he/she is allowed to react to what they have seen, heard, or read.
9. The brain is stimulated more with the involvement of each sense. Therefore, multi-sensory learning increases memory and greater brain functioning. By involving more senses per lesson, the teacher increases the effectiveness of the learning process.
10. Stress is the enemy of the brain. When under stress, the brain has difficulty focusing. Though there is no stress-free environment, if stress is reduced, the brain will function in a more productive way. Listening to soft music and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress. Too, if a classroom has dimmer-lights, a teacher may help reduce some stress by dimming them a little.
Scientists are constantly learning new things about the brain. Each new revelation provides greater insight into understanding the way we learn. If these tips are useful for the student in the classroom, I must assume they would be helpful in brain functioning, regardless of age.
