7 Situations That Change The Brain, For Better And For Worse

There are situations that change the brain and we are not aware of it. These are not strange or unusual situations, but normal and everyday. Sometimes they generate positive changes in brain structure and sometimes not.

The brain is a fascinating organ, about which new information is known every day. Thanks to advances in neuroimaging techniques, today we know that there are many situations that change the brain and enhance it or cause it to deteriorate.

The interesting thing about knowing those situations that change the brain is that it allows you to adjust your lifestyle. Some habits make you smarter, while others just hurt you. This is a guide for you to be able to distinguish one from the other.

1. Reading novels is one of the situations that changes the brain

It seems incredible, but reading novels is one of the situations that changes the brain. In fact, an investigation by the Empory University of Atlanta (Georgia, USA) established that reading a novel changes the connectivity of the brain.

In other research, published by Psychological Science , it was also noted that a group of volunteers who were asked to read works by Franz Kafka showed new brain parameters. In a word: they had gotten smarter.

2. Sleeping poorly

Sleeping badly is another of the situations that change the brain. At the Harvard University School of Medicine (USA) they were able to verify that spending more than three days sleeping only four hours a night leads to the death of some neurons.

Likewise, lack of sleep affects the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure that acts as the center of emotional control. Therefore, not sleeping well causes a person to also have their emotions affected. Basically, he is more irritable, intolerant and pessimistic.

3. Physical pain

Physical pain generates important changes in the brain, which often last, even after the ailment has been overcome. A Northwestern University study found that pain of more than six months causes structural changes.

The most significant changes were seen in the hippocampus, a gray matter structure that is related to learning and memory. This not only affects intellectual functions, but also affects the control of emotions.

4. Learn something new

Learning something new generates changes in our neural connections. By acquiring previously unavailable knowledge, various areas of the brain come into play. In this process, called myelination, nerve impulses begin to travel faster and this increases neuronal activity.

Myelination is a process that takes place especially during childhood. Over the years, it is becoming less frequent and slower. By acquiring new knowledge, this myelination is activated again and the performance of neurons is enhanced.

5. Juggle

Research carried out at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom) found that the white matter of the brain increases by up to 5% when juggling. White matter affects the speed with which the brain works.

The study worked with 24 volunteers, who juggled balls for 30 minutes a day. After a while, all of them had changes in the brain. In particular, their peripheral vision and stimulus capture speed increased.

6. Accumulate fat

Accumulating fat is another one of those situations that changes the brain in a negative way. Paul Thompson is a researcher at the University of California and after several investigations he concluded that obesity reduces the size of the brain in older people.

After a certain age, overweight people have a brain that appears 16 years older than it should be due to their chronological age. Fat tends to clog the arteries and this affects less oxygen to reach the brain.

7. Meditation

There are many studies that prove the excellent effect that meditation has on brain function. In fact, research by Dr. Sara Lazer, an expert from Massachusetts General Hospital (USA), proved that half an hour of meditation, for eight weeks, produces lasting changes in the brain.

What clinical trials have shown is that meditation increases the density of gray matter, in the hippocampus and elsewhere. In addition, the effect is a greater capacity for learning, less stress, greater awareness and capacity for introspection, among others.

In short, it is important that you are aware of the situations that change your brain, both for the better and for the worse. Basically, the brain is what we are and the essentials of our life depend on its proper functioning. Let’s take care of it.