Several studies to research the human brain in recent years are demonstrating
that the human brain can continue to grow even into old age. Respected
institutions like The Salk Institute, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Duke University
Medical Center and others have conducted studies that indicate that the human
brain need not deteriorate as you grow older in fact new brain cells are growing
continually. These studies suggest that you can exercise your brain in order to
stimulate growth, and eliminate mental health concerns.

The problem for most people when considering those routine mental health
concerns is just that; routine. Most people have become creatures of habit.
Routine activities are those things that are accomplished every day on automatic
pilot. You probably do not have to think much about your morning routine or your
commute to work and home and you routine to settle back in to your abode at
night. In fact the thought processes that you exercise at work each day are
routine enough that they cannot be considered exercise for your brain.

Most of you have become accustomed to gliding through life utilizing mostly
your senses of sight and hearing. Most people under utilize their senses of
touch, taste, and feeling. Then there is one last consideration that most would
not connect with the senses, and that is emotion. Research shows that a persons
emotional response to events is a powerful agent in the retention of the details
of the event.

The research on the human brain mentioned earlier indicates that your brain
health can be stimulated through brain exercise. Many will involve themselves in
mind games, and reading or friendly debate in an effort to exercise their brain.
You certainly should not give up these activities. You can, however, power up
your brain exercise program by utilizing your under utilized senses or by using
sight and sound in an environment that you are not accustomed to using these
senses. Secondly, if you can introduce emotion into your brain exercise you have
powered up your potential for brain growth.

The human brain can be stimulated by performing your routine activities using
your under utilized senses. For instance, go through your some of your routines
with your eyes closed or your ears plugged, or introduce different scents,
sounds or tastes into some of routines. By emphasizing different senses into
highly emotional events you can stimulate brain health.

Reading aloud is a great way to introduce sound into something that you do on
a routine basis. You can read romantic passages to your spouse, girlfriend or
boyfriend to add emotion to this brain exercise. Not every brain exercise needs
to involve emotion just be creative, adding different senses to daily routines.
It is not necessary to carve out time to do brain exercise. However it could be
helpful if you would eliminate TV time in order to interact with your family or
friends, as social interaction is another great way to stimulate brain health.
Just one word of caution. Do not fall into a routine of a particular brain
exercise, mix it up.