Neuroplasticity: How Can You Rewire Your Brain?
Be the sculptor of your own brain!
Ever felt lethargic to wake up in the morning for your daily morning jog or workout routine? I am sure you have, just like the rest of us who procrastinate and delay meager tasks at hand. But hey! Was it easier to wake up the next few days after that? And then slowly, it wasn’t such a mammoth task, was it? It gets easier, as we keep making a habit and then a routine, out of it. Have you ever experienced something like this?
If yes, then congratulations! You have already had a moment of Neuroplasticity!
But what REALLY is Neuroplasticity?
Let’s break down the word; Neuro refers to the neurons in our brains or the nervous system, Plasticity: refers to the ability of our brains to be like plastic: moldable, malleable, adaptable and flexible. So, in short, Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of our brains to reshape and rewire the neuronal pathways to form new connections.
So how does this exactly work?
Let’s take a simple example of a particular route that you take to work or college daily. This is a known pathway and you are used to doing this, day in and day out.
However, for a change, you decide to take an alternative route one day.
You don’t find it too familiar and gosh! It could be confusing and really terrifying for anyone at first, but slowly you get the grip and learn about the new route by taking it every day. Gradually this new route becomes your main travel routine to work and the old pathway fades away.
Simple enough to understand, wasn’t it?
Now, let’s replace the road pathways in the previous example with neural connections in our brain, made by different neurons and the signals exchanged. One particular connection of neurons represents one emotion or feeling or one specific task or habit that you have been acquainted with since day 1.
However, the moment you start doing that task differently or learn a new skill or give up a bad habit, the same neurons form a new connective pathway, hence forming a new neuronal map in the brain! Thus, in a way, this is remapping and rewiring the neurons in our brain to form better habits, learn new things, and do tasks uniquely and differently.
Neuroplasticity simply explained, is nothing but teaching the old dog new tricks!
Neurons that fire together, wire together
So by this logic, the age-old adage: Old habits die hard, isn’t entirely true, as we can all form new habits, learn new things and skills even at an older age. Yes, I know what you are thinking, the power of our brains to process information and be malleable does change over time, but it does not stop the brain from learning or changing its form or shape. A young child’s neuroplasticity power will be much higher than someone in their 50s, mainly due to the developmental abilities of the brain.
Remember the first time you learned cycling or went swimming?
It was a bit of a nerve-wrecking situation, wasn’t it? As you are doing something for the first time, and really did not know what you are supposed to do!
It was a novel task for your brain too and it had no idea what it was getting into! But later on, it picked it up and formed one circuit pathway for swimming and cycling. So the next time you went, the brain relied on taking this new route, and time and again, this new roadmap that was carved out was strengthened each time you went for the particular activity!
So Voila! Even after 10 years, you still will remember how to swim or ride a bicycle, thanks to the moldable nature of your brain!
Boosting the Neuroplasticity of your brain!
Now, if you are wondering if you can boost the Neuroplasticity nature of your brains, and take a step further to increase productivity, then sure! Here are some tips and tricks that will ensure your brain remains active and constantly learning as long as you keep it engaged in the following ways:
- Learning a new language or a musical instrument — increases connectivity between different brain regions and helps form new neural networks
- Travelling — increases stimuli for your brain, opening up new pathways and activity in the brain
- Using the non-dominant hand — next time try brushing with your left hand if your right hand is the dominant hand! Research studies have shown that this boosts connectivity between neurons and strengthens new pathways
- Vocabulary practice — try learning one new word each day. This helps in activating visual and auditory processes and helps in memory processing
- Sleeping — getting a well-rested good night’s sleep encourages learning retention between different neurons, and helps transfer information across all the pathways in the brain
Now that we know Neuroplasticity a bit better, you can utilise this power of your brain to your benefit.
Wish to quit any of your habits like; smoking, waking up late, procrastinating, eating fast, or just simply being lazy (*guilty*) and not getting enough exercise?
You know exactly what to do! Rewire and remap your brains!
So the next time, someone tells you: “Oh no, I am too old to quit this habit, you know how it is, it has become a part of me”, don’t hesitate on giving them your two pence on Neuroplasticity and helping them remold, rewire and remap their brains, thus changing their lives for the better!
