Brain Less Traveled
Occupational and physical therapist that do rehabilitation for stroke patients, find using the “other side” of the brain awakens and strengthens our neural connections in the brain, and may even grow new ones. The human brain is an organ that benefits through mental stimulation or “exercise”. The brain continuously adapts, grows, and rewires itself through the growth of new neurons.
- Wearing pockets helps, keep your good hand in a pocket.
- It is known that creativity of the non-dominate brain is an untapped channel.
- Research shows that musicians, that use both hands have a 19% increase in their corpus callosum, which is the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres.
- Engage in several kinds of activity that use your non-dominant hand, daily.
- Try brushing your teeth, opening doors, eating (chopsticks get extra credit)., opening doorknobs, wiping a counter, reaching for things.
- Learn to brush teeth, shave, button your clothes, and put on make-up (careful with mascara).
- Awkward initially you will likely have much less control over what your non-dominant hand can do.
- When you use your opposite hand, you are rewiring and growing your brain!
- Take a chance to permanently grow and rewire your brain connections.
The brain is an organ that improves through mental stimulation and exercise. The brain will continuously adapt, grow, and rewires itself so your force the growth of new neuron pathways. If you don’t use the brains filing cabinets you may find many things seem “misfiled”. So, what do you have to lose? Start today to travel down your brain’s less-traveled path, smooth the path and foresee new links and associations.