Brush your teeth with your Left hand to boost your creativity!

Photo by Shalev Cohen on Unsplash

If you think I’ve lost my mind, I haven’t.

In this post we will talk about how we can boost the functioning of our right brain or the non-dominant hemisphere of our brain with some simple daily activities like brushing our teeth.

But before we start let me give you an overview of the brain hemispheres and their functioning.

Our brain is divided into two parts: The Left Hemisphere and The Right Hemisphere. Both hemispheres have different strengths and tendencies.

The left hemisphere is often described as the “dominant” hemisphere for language. It helps with tasks like speaking, understanding words, reading, and writing. It enables us to express ourselves verbally and comprehend the meaning of language. It helps us with reasoning, analyzing, logical thinking, and problem solving. It is also our calculator.

While the right brain is the creativity and art center. It opens the doors to the world of imagination. It helps us perceive and interpret the world around us in terms of shapes, and recognize patterns. The right hemisphere allows us to see the bigger picture and think in a more holistic manner. It helps us to understand emotions, and empathize with others.

In general, for most individuals, the left hemisphere of the brain is more dominant and actively engaged in a wide range of cognitive tasks. Activating the non-dominant hemisphere of the brain, typically associated with the use of your non-dominant limbs, can have several positive effects on your cognitive abilities and overall well-being.

How to incorporate your non-dominant limbs in your daily activities?

Very simple and conscious changes in our daily activities can help us to activate the non-dominant part of our brain thereby enhancing it’s abilities.

Start brushing your teeth and combing your hair with your left hand. It may be a bit difficult in the beginning. But do it purposely and encourage your children to do so too. They will find it funny and will do it willingly. You know children always love doing things the other way round.

Use your non-dominant hand to scroll your phone. You can also try texting with your other hand. Use your non-dominant hand to control the mouse, when working on your computer.

While performing household chores like sweeping, mopping, or gardening, alternate between your dominant and non-dominant hand. This helps distribute the workload more evenly across your body.

Practice writing with your non-dominant hand. You can play a game to encourage children too. Just tell them, “Let’s see who writes better or faster with the other hand.” Soon they will be seen practicing it, to prove their skills.

How does it help?

1. Boost creativity: The use of left limbs stimulates the right hemishere of the brain which is the creative center. It helps to boost visual processing, artistic abilities, and creativity.
2. Enhanced Brain Function: Utilizing your non-dominant limbs can stimulate the opposite side of your brain. This cross-brain activation can strengthen neural connections and improve overall brain function.
3. Improved Coordination: By engaging your left limbs, you can enhance your coordination skills. This can be especially useful in activities that require bilateral movements, such as sports, playing a musical instrument, or even typing.
4. Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation: Regularly using both sides of your body can help prevent muscle imbalances and reduce the risk of overuse injuries. In cases where you’ve sustained an injury or are undergoing rehabilitation, incorporating your non-dominant limbs can aid in the recovery process by promoting muscle strength and joint stability.
5. Dexterity and Fine Motor Skills: Utilizing your left limbs can help develop dexterity and fine motor skills in your non-dominant hand. This can be particularly beneficial for tasks that demand precise finger movements, such as playing a musical instrument, crafting, or performing detailed work.
6. Cognitive Flexibility: Using your non-dominant limbs can foster cognitive flexibility, as it requires your brain to adapt and switch between different neural pathways. This adaptability can extend beyond physical activities and enhance your problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively.
7. Increased Body Awareness: Incorporating your left limbs can improve your overall body awareness and proprioception — the sense of your body’s position in space. This heightened awareness can be valuable in sports, dance, or any physical activity where precise movements and spatial orientation are crucial.
8. Balanced Muscle Development: Regularly engaging your non-dominant limbs can help achieve a more balanced and symmetrical muscle development throughout your body. This can contribute to better overall physical fitness and aesthetics.

Remember that incorporating your non-dominant limbs may initially feel challenging or awkward, as they are less practiced. However, with consistent practice and patience, you can gradually improve your skills and experience the benefits of using both sides of your body.