Brain’s Cognitive Function and Its Importance in Daily Lives

Cognition in simple words is the ability of a person to understand the information that his brain comes across. These mental abilities are common in all human beings but the magnitude one possesses can be different from person to person. We need these cognitive abilities or brain cognitive functions in our day to day lives whether we are performing simple or complex activities. The magnitude of these abilities decides our ability to learn, problem-solving, attention span, inhibition of response, speedy processing of information, memory, recognizing patterns, multi-tasking, etc. These abilities are controlled by specific networks in neurons. The more these networks are developed, the more a person is abled and efficient. In simple terms, is considered intelligent. Brain Cognitive Functions are given quite the importance as they not only refer to a person’s intelligence but also a person’s basic response in day to day life.

Also Read: 5 Herbs and Spices that are Beneficial for Brain Health

Cognitive Functions of the Brain:

The brain is quite flexible and adjusts according to the environment it is in. This ability helps us to get better at things we keep practicing and also gradually brings us to square one if we stop practicing. The same is also true with the cognitive functions of the brain. If you stop using them, they lose sharpness and similarly you can exceed your previous limitations if you practice hard enough. Below I am listing some activities that you can use as a medium to sharpen and maintain your brain cognitive functions. Have a look:

Games! Anyone?

Who doesn’t love games? Even the procrastinators get up and join in for games. And yes, it does help improve brain cognitive functions. You need to play games that use most of your abilities and it will also be a workout for your brain too. You can play games like Sudoku, Crosswords, Othello, etc. And if you practice and get really good at it, then you can also participate in tournaments and world championships around the world.

Eat Healthy

I know that this is one of the two things I include in my blogs usually, the other being meditation which is equally important too, and I am going to include the next one too…. You need to eat for your brain. Include foods that have healthy fats like fish oils, walnuts, oils from flax seeds, etc. and try to exclude saturated fats like hydrogenated vegetable oils, from your diet.

Think Positively

Surround yourself with optimistic people, good books, hobbies, songs. As the saying goes, “A man is known by the company he keeps”. So get out of any bad influence you are in. Even if you have a messy environment in your house, it can affect your thinking and mood. A good, positive and bright environment is necessary for the development of the brain. You will have to make some efforts if you want to grow from where you are.

Read More

Read, read and read more. You need to read as much as you can and then try to read more. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and almost all the big names emphasize the fact that one should read in order to learn. Read different things, self-help books, novels, newspapers, coursebooks; there is no discrimination, but you need to read things in order to learn. Continuous learning and reading also help the brain to stay fit and healthy keeping your brain cognitive functions up and running.

Go on Tours

You can either think of it as a vacation or a project, it is totally up to you. Go on to short tours to nearby mountains, valleys, beaches, if you haven’t done it till now. Spend some time there. Go there alone or with just 1-2 friends. Sit silently, enjoy the beauty. Don’t shy away from a good sweaty trek. Let your feet feel the grass as you enjoy the sunset. Don’t stay closed up and ignore nature. It’s not just psychological but also the physical changes that I am talking about. Walking barefoot on the grass can release endorphins which will make you and your body feel better. It also helps improve sleep, reduce tension in muscles, etc.

A Trip to History?

Going to a zoo, museum or any ancient excavation site could be a good idea for spending a weekend. It can help a person to develop and enhance his cognition abilities. And you also need to take an interest in order to make the most out of the trip. The more you engage, the better. The brain cognition functions develop in the most efficient way if you engage them more and more.

Look Back

Looking back and reflecting on your day, week, month and even on year can be a good idea. Make a list of what all happened, good, bad, opportunities missed and grabbed. A little journal can help you go a long way. Organizing more and more things can help you stay focused and on schedule. You can learn from your mistakes instead of repeating them.

As mentioned earlier, our brains change as we want them too. They literally change shape and connections. So if you are not able to do something today, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t be able to do them even after you practice them dedicatedly.

“Practice is the Best of all Instructors” — Publilius Syrus

Do let us know in the comments if you have any more tips and suggestions on improving Brain cognition function. We would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading!

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