All About You FRIDAY – Hacks for Brain Health

Years ago, I manned a booth at an expo right next to a scientist who had done extensive studies on brain health and brain activation. He asked me if I knew the two things that activate the largest part of the brain? I took a guess, “Hard problem solving.” He said that hard problem solving actually activates a small part of the brain intensely.

According to his research, the two things that activate the largest part of your brainare:

Reading out loud
Doing single digit math

This was before that age of smart phones, so he was selling workbooks of pages of simple math, recommending that you solve 20-30 simple math problems a day. And, of course, that you read out loud.

I wish I could remember who he was so I could look up his research, but his words have stuck with me all these years. In searching for him, I found the holy grail of what activates the largest part of your brain: music. Listening to it is good. Playing it is even better.

I can attest to this myself. It’s been nearly 7 years since I stumbled into the Detroit School of Rock and Pop (DSRP) in Royal Oak, MI. I went in there to purchase a gift certificate for a young woman I was mentoring. After we squared away the details of my gift, Jason, one of the owners said, “What about you?” I paused for a long minute. And then I took the plunge that would change my life forever.

Every week, I get to play tunes with some really talented musicians. I am easily the oldest one in my band, but not the oldest one in the school. Musicians of all ages walk those halls every week. I can work the longest of days and feel so fatigued, but if I force myself to pick up my guitar, my mind immediately relaxes. I imagine this is my brain going from very intense concentrated work to activating a larger part of my cerebrum.

It’s been a long week. But you made it! Now go and activate your brain. Read something aloud to a loved one, do some sudoku or single digit math and the listen to or play some jams. I’ll leave you with me and my band, Drawing Straws, getting on our brain health.

Until next time…