Basic brain exercises to improve focus

When you hear the word gymnastics, you may immediately imagine complex movements to keep your body in shape. However, have you ever heard of brain gym movements?

As the name implies, brain exercise functions to maintain brain health and improve your cognitive function. This exercise is not done by doing complex math problems or solving tough problems in order to sharpen memory or train thinking and concentration. Then, how do you do it?

Get to know brain exercise and its benefits

Brain exercise is a series of movements that connect the brain, senses and body. This series of movements can maintain mental health and cognitive function, so that they can support your daily life.

You need to know, body movements do affect brain health. Reporting from MoundsPark Academy, physical activity and movement can supply brain cells with oxygen, increase the production of new brain cells, and help create synapses that help the process of conveying information to the brain.

Of the many forms of activity, brain exercise is one exercise to maintain brain health that you can do. By doing this exercise regularly, you can get many benefits, such as:

• Improve academic or study skills, such as reading, writing, spelling, and math.
• Improve concentration, focus and memory.
• Control and reduce stress.
• Improve the quality of sleep and relaxation.
• Sharpen reflexes and body movement coordination.
• Improve communication skills and language development.
• Improve organizational capabilities.
• Develop a positive attitude.
• Increase creativity.
• Improve sports skills.

This beneficial brain exercise was first developed in the 1960s by an American learning expert, Paul Dennison and his wife, Gail Dennison. Initially, brain exercise was intended to help students and female students learn more effectively.

However, over time, brain exercises have become more and more popular. Currently, anyone can and is highly recommended to do this exercise, from children to the elderly. Some instructors also often schedule brain exercises for students with disabilities in special schools.

You can also do brain exercises at any time, either in the morning, at night before bed, or into light exercise before working in the office. However, brain exercise should be done regularly so that the benefits are felt more quickly.

Basic movements of brain exercise

In the guide published by the Dennison couple, there are 26 brain exercise movements. However, as a beginner, you can try the basic moves first. Here are three basic brain exercises that you can try:

1. Cross crawl

Movement cross crawl can be done while sitting or standing. However, try to take an upright position. Then, open your legs to shoulder width apart. Lift your right knee until it touches your left elbow. Tilt your head and left shoulder slightly to the right while doing this movement. Then, change to the other side.

Repeat this movement for about 30 seconds. By doing this brain exercise, you can train the balance of the right and left brain, practice breathing, improve posture, and improve your learning ability.

You can do this movement alone or with the child. On your own, you can do this when you want more energy, during activities that require your sense of sight (reading, writing), or before exercising.

2. Positive point

Movement positive point you can do while sitting relaxed. Before the movement begins, you need to find positive point which is on your forehead area. This point is precisely above each eyebrow, both right and left, in the middle between your eyebrows and your hairline. You may feel a little raised area at this point.

At that point, place three fingers on each hand and gently press down on the area. Close your eyes and take ten deep breaths. However, in children, this movement can be done with the eyes open, especially if your child is frightened.

Apart from doing this movement yourself, positive point also can be done with the help of others. If you want to help someone with this movement, stand behind the person and press positive point- his. The person you are helping can sit down comfortably and ask to take deep breaths as described previously.

Movement positive point this can help you relieve stress. Therefore, this method can be done when you feel excessively stressed, confused, upset, sad, or angry. In children, this brain gym movement can also be done at times time out the child or when the child feels scared, worried, or anxious, including when he is anxious about a test at school.

3. Hook up

Movement hook up you can do while sitting comfortably upright. The trick, cross your ankles, with the position of the left ankle in front of the right ankle. Then, bring your palms together and cross your fingers in front of your chest. Then, raise the crossed hand towards the chin.

Maintain this position while closing your eyes and taking deep breaths as long as you can. Exhale through your mouth slowly. You can do this brain exercise for one minute or when you feel calmer.

By practicing this movement, the central nervous system in the brain will become more relaxed. You can think more clearly and focus. Therefore, this brain exercise can be done if you need to make an important decision, have difficulty concentrating, are anxious or stressed, or before starting an activity.