We all know the exercise mantra--the more you exercise, the more neurons in your brain. That's true, but there is another side to the equation. Unless we do something with these neurons by cognitively challenging ourselves, these neurons will die.
According to an article in Scientific American Mind, exercise is only one part of brain power equation. The other part has everything to do with taking upon ourselves new cognitive challenges.
Ever tried to learn a new language? French, Spanish, Italian? How about Computer language--Java and html. Those are new languages as well! It doesn't matter which language it is as long as you take it upon yourself to be delightfully challenged by it.
However, not all new learning preserves these neurons!
The learning tasks that best preserve these new neurons are the ones that are hardest to learn, requiring the most mental effort to master. In several experiments involving rats, those that had to work extra hard to master a new task ended up with more neurons than animals that learned fast.
This suggests that new neurons respond best to learning that requires effort.
Yes--effort. Attention, concentration, cognitive effort! The left brain kind.
What does this mean for us humans? Do these "rat" conclusions apply to us as well?
We can transfer aspects of the rat world to our human world. And the truth is not as painful as it seems. After all, life would be boring indeed if we do not challenge ourselves everyday in some form. Learning must take place everyday. We need to challenge ourselves cognitively everyday--whether it be understanding or mastering a new concept, a new idea through reading, writing, figuring out a puzzle, taking up a new hobby.
You see- thousands of new cells arise in the hippocampus every day, but these cells stay around only if we are challenged to learn, only if we are willing to leave the seat of comfort and give a new trick a whirl.
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