It’s not necessary to become a champion meditator, or a marathon runner, in order to boost our chances of a healthy old age. Even moderate changes, some of which can be squeezed into extremely busy schedules, can have an impact. “It’s about finding that right combination of effort and calmness,” explains robert Svoboda, BAMS, a renowned ayurvedic specialist. “And understanding that if we make incremental changes, we’ll see a difference, perhaps not immediately, but over the long term.” Dahn Yoga.

How Hobbies made Einstein and churchill smarter

In order to understand how we can best care for our mind, it helps to have a rudimentary understanding of how the brain works. One of the most notable characteristics of our three-pound organ is its two hemisphere. Most of us have heard of the right brain and left brain dichotomy: To resort to stereotypes, the left brain is in charge of rational and analytical thinking, while the right side is more holistic and creative.

Scientists seem to agree that casting our two hemisphere as the accountant-versus-artist showdown is far too simplistic. There are various theories of what the actual division of labor might be, but one of the most provocative hypotheses has been put forward byNew York University neuropsychologist Elkhonon Goldberg, PhD. He theorizes that the right hemisphere of the brain is better at tackling new tasks, while the left side of the brain is superior at executing familiar routines. So, for example, when you are learning to speak a new language or to play a musical instrument, the right side of the brain might do the heavy lifting early on; once you gain proficiency, the left side of your brain becomes more dominant.