this year try spring cleaning your brain

This instinctive reaction, caused by a rise in cortisol levels, will cause blood to be drawn away from the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating our emotions, thinking creatively and communicating effectively. Having too much to think about makes us stressed, and in this situation the brain often resorts to survival mode. Focusing on a single task will help concentrate your brain’s resources and reinforce the neural pathway needed to learn a fresh behaviour.Įvery day, we’re bombarded with information that competes for our attention and make it hard for us to see the wood for the trees. Avoid over-committing and aim to alter one simple thing at a time. The same principle applies when you are trying to change a habit or learn something new. All of this will help prevent ‘decision fatigue’, which reduces your willpower. Get up at the same time each day, eat the same thing for breakfast, take the same commute and limit your work wardrobe to a few staples. To achieve mental clarity first thing in the morning, avoid drawing on too much of your finite cognitive resource by making a lot of low-level decisions early on. Uplifting photos of the first day of spring.These extra folds will help the brain enhance its performance when carrying out these functions, which will have an impact on your ability to think flexibly and make good decisions. Regular mindfulness practised over eight weeks will lead to increased gyrification – the formation of more folds – in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with higher executive functions. The regular practice of yoga or meditation three times a week results in lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol compared with other women of the same age. When you practise mindfulness, your brain goes into a gamma-wave state of relaxed alertness. By simplifying what you ask your mind to focus on, and concentrating solely on your own breathing, body and thoughts as they enter and leave your mind, you can reduce levels of cortisol in your blood and the corresponding feelings of stress. You’re probably familiar with mindfulness – the practice of focusing all your attention on the present moment – which has long been associated with relaxation and stress relief. There are a number of techniques you can practise to help you achieve a simpler way of living and, along with it, a clearer mind that can cut through the noise and bustle of everyday life. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play

This year try spring cleaning your brain