Science suggests yoga can be just as good for our brains as our bodies.
Here, Sarah Tucker lists five postures to give our brains a mini workout
W
e know more about space than we do about the
workings of the brain, but neuroscientist Dr Tara
Swart (taraswart.com), currently in residence
at the Corinthia Hotel (corinthia.com) in central
London, claims we are discovering a lot more
about how the brain operates and how we are able to make it work
more effectively.
“Everyone wants an agile brain; one that is able to be logical,
creative, motivate, deal with emotions effectively, be able to
translate and act upon intuition, and work in harmony with our
bodies,” she says. “We expect a lot from our brain and yet we know
so little about it, but that is changing. Increasing the amount of
magnesium we take into our bodies will support brain health, as will
regular but not excessive exercise, journaling – as in writing a diary
(but not reading over it); talking about our emotions – rather than
just ‘thinking about them’, also helps, and meditation and yoga are
also excellent for brain health.”
Research has shown there are a lot of things we can do to
maintain a healthy brain. This has been done on senior management
to see how they respond to challenges and is currently being done
on the hotel staff at the London Corinthia and on journalists (me
being one of them!).The three myths about the brain
- We use more than a fraction
It is not true we only use a fraction of the brain. We use all of our
brain at different times for different reasons. - Men have bigger brains than women
It is not true the female brain is smaller than the male brain. Men
are larger in general than women so on an actual physical level,
the brain usually is larger, however the female brain has more grey
matter, than the male brain. The male brain has more white matter –
which is the protective casing – the stuffing. - Physical pain is greater than emotional pain
The greatest myth is taught to children and we retain it as adults.
‘Sticks and stones may break your bones but words may never
harm you.’ “That is not only not true, it is the opposite of the truth,”
claims Dr Swart. “When we are physically hurt, our body produces
endorphins to deal with the pain and lessen it. So although we
feel pain, we are able to cope with it because our body releases
hormones, which literally tell our mind to calm down. When we are
emotionally hurt, psychologically hurt, there is no actual physical
damage. So the body does not release these hormones to calm our
mind and our nerves. So it actually hurts us more. But strangely I feel
everyone knew that already.”
Five yoga postures that will give you a
healthy brain
Yoga is well known for calming the emotions, but there is also
scientific evidence to show that it is wonderful for the brain. Dr Swart
claims: “Yoga makes you think quicker, better, make considered
decisions more effectively and is an ideal pick me up for anyone
who multi tasks and has to prioritise choices. Certain postures inyoga stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, the pineal
and pituitary glands and by stretching the vertebra as well as the
muscles and fascia of the spine improves the impulse function
through the spinal column to the brain, helping to calm the
nervous system.”HERE ARE FIVE OF THE BEST YOGA POSTURES FOR
NURTURING THOSE BRAIN CELLS:Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
This posture reduces excessive brain activity (the ‘monkey mind’).
The vertebrae is stretched, as well as the muscles and fascia of the
spine. The stretch improves the impulse function through the spinal
column to the brain, helping to calm the nervous system.HOW TO DO IT AND GET OUT OF IT
Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Reach actively through
your heels, bending your knees, eventually straightening the legs
as flexibility increases. Breathe in as you reach your arms out to
the side, and then up overhead, lengthening your spine. Breathe
out and bend forward from the hip joints. Do not bend at the waist.
Lengthen the front of your torso, imagine your torso coming to rest
on your thighs instead of tipping your nose toward your knees. Hold
onto your shins, ankles or feet, wherever your flexibility allows. Keep
the front of your torso long, and don’t round your back. With each
breath in, lengthen the front torso. Hold for 20 breaths. To release
the pose, draw your tailbone towards the floor as you breathe in and
lift your torso.Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
A mild inversion and the back and spinal column are stretched, this
is a superb posture for oxygenating the brain and revitalising the
nervous system.HOW TO DO IT AND GET OUT OF IT
Stand in Mountain Pose with your hands in prayer to the chest, feet
together. Soften the knees as you breathe in, lift your arms above
your head and as you breathe out lengthen your torso, moving from
the hips, not the lower back. Place your hands next to your feet or
on the ground in front of you, or on your ankles or calves. Breathe in
and out six times as you lengthen your spine, extending the crown of
your head toward the ground. Draw your shoulders down your back.
On the last breath in, soften your knees and lift your arms up into
the air, palms facing each other and on the exhale bring the arms
down again, palms to chest in prayer.“Everyone wants an agile brain; one
that is able to be logical, creative,
motivate, deal with emotions
effectively, be able to translate and act
upon intuition, and work in harmony
with our bodies.”om body