Want to reduce stress and sharpen your brain? Try these brain exercises

Have you ever heard of brain gym exercises? It's a set of simple routines designed to improve cognitive functions. Generally, it's used to improve kids' learning abilities, but they can be employed to de-stress, improve workplace efficiency, interpersonal skills and more. These exercises improve brain function and energy by increasing blood flow. When practised regularly and repeated smoothly, these exercises enhance the interaction between the brain's right and left hemispheres. This can lead to better learning outcomes by activating neural pathways. Consistent practice can also improve handwriting and reduce errors. Here are a few of the brain gym exercises:

Lazy 8
Stand straight and make a thumbs-up gesture with your right hand. Without moving your body, trace the number 8 sideways, or the infinity sign in the air with your thumb, ensuring your eyes follow the movement of your fingertip. Alternate between your right and left hands and repeat the motion 20 to 30 times. This exercise is excellent for improving concentration and hand-eye coordination.

Brain button
Place your left hand over your stomach. With your right hand's index finger and thumb, rub the area where your chest begins, just below the shoulder, in a circular motion. Repeat this exercise ten times. It will energize the brain, improve attention while reading and writing, and help calm and focus the mind.

Double doodle
Sit comfortably in a chair and take five deep breaths. Hold a pencil in each hand, then draw half of a picture with each hand simultaneously. The shapes can be simple lines or figures. After drawing, colour the picture. This exercise promotes bilateral coordination and creativity.

Positive points
Press your fingers at the centre point between your eyebrows and hairline, then take deep breaths for ten seconds. This exercise helps reduce stress and improve mood.

Trace X
Imagine as if you are writing the letter X on a wall with your eyes. Perform eight repetitions, then rest for ten minutes. Repeat this exercise to enhance concentration.

Hook up
Hook your right leg over your left, then stretch out your hands and interlock your fingers to form a hook. Take six deep breaths, fold your hands inward, and place them close to your chest. Take six more deep breaths. Repeat this exercise three to five times to improve concentration and calm the mind.

Cross crawl
Stand upright, bend your left knee, and raise it to touch your left knee with your right elbow. Perform this exercise eight times. It helps better integrate the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Finger exercise
Stand or sit and hold the fingers of both hands together with the palms facing upwards. Move both thumbs forward and backwards ten times each, then repeat with the other fingers. This exercise is beneficial for enhancing intellectual abilities and problem-solving skills.

Incorporating brain gym exercises into your child's daily routine is a good practice. Since these exercises take only a short time, they won't interfere with study time. Exercising together as a family can also strengthen relationships. Teachers can incorporate brain gym exercises into the school day alongside sports training to help reduce students' mental stress and improve their learning performance.
Information courtesy: Bismi David
Occupational Therapist
Child Development Centre
Government Medical College
Thiruvananthapuram