A fully-developed brain is a powerful machine with over a 100 billion neurons, states NIH. These neurons control every movement on your body, regulate mood, and support numerous vital functions in the body. To ensure good health, it is imperative to take care of this mastermind organ and keep your brain functioning optimally as you age.
Get familiar with different parts of your brain, their impressive functions, and what smart habits you can adopt to peak your brain performance.
Brain Parts and Functions: Pro Tips You Should Know
Many parts of the brain work together to support various functions. Check the 10 functions of the brain that some of these parts play:
1. Cerebrum: The Boss
It is the most significant part of the brain. It is just below the skull, divided into two halves with a walnut-like, wrinkly appearance. You use it for conscious thinking, decision-making, learning, writing, and feeling every emotion. You’re using it right now as you read this line.
Hack No. 1: Sharpen your cerebrum by challenging yourself to learn new things. Solve puzzles, learn a new language, or acquire a new hobby to stretch your cerebrum’s horizons.
2. Cerebellum: The Balancer
As per an NCBI study, it is positioned beneath the cerebrum and is called the “little brain” as it helps you coordinate your actions and balance and manage your reflexes. You use it to balance your body when standing, walking, riding a bike, or doing a backflip (if you’re daring enough).
Hack No. 2: Improve your cerebellum motor skills by doing balance exercises like yoga, dancing, sports, skating, etc.
3. Brainstem: The Lifeline
The brainstem connects the brain to the spinal cord. It is responsible for performing vital functions on autopilot, such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, digestion, sleep, etc. It also controls basic reflexes, such as the gag reflex and pupillary reflex.
Hack No. 3: Practice deep breathing exercises or meditate to assist the brain in functioning with vital functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, stress management, etc.
4. Hippocampus: The Memory Vault
The hippocampus is the brain’s library. It stores incidents, emotions, and experiences as long-term memory for future use. It also helps you memorise your spatial awareness to help you get around. All thanks to the hippocampus that lets you type on the keyboard and play guitar without looking at your fingers.
Hack No. 4: Try a tricky dance move, play games that increase memory, and do problem-solving games that encourage you to retain information.
5. Amygdala: The Internal Alarm
The amygdala is what makes you an emotional being. It deals with negative but critically life-saving emotions like fear, anger, anxiety, etc. It triggers the “fight or flight” response when you sense danger. When it gets overactive, it can cause immense anxiety.
Hack No. 5: Practice meditative mindfulness or introspective journaling to manage your emotional response. Focus on critical reflection on life’s situations to boost the amygdala’s health and support overall brain functioning.
6. Thalamus: The Sensory Relay Station
The center part of the brain helps transfer visual, motor, auditory, and other sensory signals to the cerebral cortex for further processing. It takes the jumbled mess of information and connects all the dots to create a meaningful picture.
Hack No. 6: Strengthen your thalamus by experimenting with new experiences with textures, sounds, flavours, etc., to keep the thalamus part of your brain functioning.
7. Hypothalamus: The Body’s Regulator
The hypothalamus is the brain’s thermostat and personal assistant. It signals hunger, thirst, body temperature, and even sleep cycles and ensures the internal world stays balanced.
Hack No. 7: Keep your hypothalamus healthy by drinking plenty of water, maintaining a healthy sleep schedule, and managing stress through activities like walking in nature or practicing yoga.
8. Prefrontal Cortex: The Decision-Maker
The prefrontal cortex is the star when you make decisions, plan your day, or think about your future. It helps with executive functions, everything from impulse control to goal-setting. You feel on top of your game when this area is in sync. But your decision-making might take a hit if it’s overwhelmed.
Hack No. 8: Improve your decision-making by playing strategy games (like chess or Sudoku) and practicing deep breathing when stressed. This helps your prefrontal cortex stay focused and calm.
9. Parietal Lobe: The Sensory Interpreter
The parietal lobe is where your brain processes sensory and spatial information. It helps you feel sensations like pressure, pain, and temperature if you figure out how close you are to someone or how hot the coffee is.
Hack No. 9: Stimulate your parietal lobe with activities that require spatial awareness, like learning to juggle, completing complex puzzles, or playing games that involve calculation or estimation.
10. Pineal Gland: The Sleep Regulator
The pineal gland, though small, is super important in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. It releases melatonin, a hormone that signals when it’s time to sleep. If you’re ever having trouble sleeping, it could be that your pineal gland isn’t working optimally.
Hack No. 10: To keep your pineal gland healthy, stick to a regular sleep schedule, dim the lights an hour before bed, and avoid screens to ensure a good night’s rest. Your brain functioning will improve gradually!
Nourish Your Mind: A Guide to Optimal Brain Health
In a Nutshell
Taking care of your brain is essential for overall health, and understanding your brain parts and functions is the first step. Keeping these vital areas sharp and healthy through fun, simple activities can boost cognitive performance, enhance emotional well-being, and improve physical coordination. So, make these tips a part of your daily routine, and give your brain the attention it deserves. After all, a healthy brain is the key to a vibrant, thriving life!
