What do you usually do to take a break from writing code or learning programming theory? Are you swiping on social media, watching TV series or going to the gym? Everyone is different, but there is an opinion that the best rest is a change of activity. And in order not only to relax, but also to train your brain at the same time (yeah, it can be like that too), we have selected several activities that will help you switch from programming and pump your mental abilities at the same time. In order not to be unfounded, we backed up our list of activities with scientific research;)
Music
Why is music so helpful to take your mind off your worries? Because listening to it is associated with experiencing various emotions, which just help to switch from work to these emotions. If not just listening, but learning to play some instrument, new neural connections will develop in the brain - this is useful both for the development of intelligence and for the health of our brain. What can I say, being able to play an instrument is just great.
Research suggests that learning to play music not only develops specific areas of the brain, but also improves communication between them—which has a positive effect on verbal memory, spatial reasoning, and even literacy skills. And professional musicians tend to outperform non-musicians in these skills . Recent work by scientists shows that music education speeds up the recovery of people who have had a stroke, and can also improve the perception of information in children with dyslexia and other language disorders. There is also evidence that music training during childhood protects against later development of cognitive impairment and dementia.
Reading
It would seem, how could reading be on this list? It would seem that there is nothing easier. But no, for our brain this is a complex process. Regular reading really exercises his various zones. When we read, the primary visual cortex, motor cortex, angular gyrus and other areas are activated: all this happens in order to transform the read words into a picture in the head and understanding the meaning of the text. It is known that thirty minutes of reading a day reduces, for example, the risk of developing Alzheimer's in healthy patients over forty-five years old by almost a third (study of the University of Tel Aviv, Israel).By regularly “turning on” the neurons and synapses in the areas of the brain involved in the process of reading, we maintain the functions for which they are responsible. Among them are attention and memory. It is they who first of all suffer in old age, if they are not trained. Besides exercising neurons, reading can be a great way to relax. During one of the experiments at the University of Sussex (UK), a group of volunteers first artificially increased their stress level, then they were offered several ways to relax, after which the stress level was measured again (the indicators were heart rate and muscle tension). Ways to relax were reading books, listening to music, playing a video game, taking a walk, drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Reading was the most effective - it reduced stress levels by 68%, despite the fact that the subjects spent only 6 minutes behind the book. Now try to remember how long ago you read a fiction book, and not technical documentation or news?
Chess
Recently released on Netflix series “King's Gambit” about a brilliant chess player revived the interest in chess that had faded in people. But even if we discard the mainstream culture, chess is exciting, interesting and useful.
One of the key skills that chess gives is the ability to think consistently. Everything that happens on the board during the game is not an accident, and the victory in the duel goes to the one who knows how to think over his moves, and not just plays at random. The game allows you to simultaneously use logical and abstract thinking. The player has to think through the steps ahead, build conjectural options for the development of events. During the game, a person simultaneously uses short-term and long-term memory. Few activities can cause these states. Extreme load affects mental abilities in the most favorable way.
Run
"Before every major decision I've made in the last eight years, I first ran," director Casey Neistat told Runner's World magazine.
After a good run, the human brain really thinks better. And there is a scientific explanation for this fact. Changes after a run fixedin the frontal lobes of the brain. Increased activity in these areas is observed after people adopt a long-term habit of physical activity. After 30-40 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, the researchers recorded an increase in blood flow in this area, which, by the way, is associated with forward planning, attention and focus, goal setting, and time management. It also turned out that running affects the regulation of emotions, including the reduction of anxiety and stress. Running training helps to be in a state of awareness “here and now”, observing your own sensations in the body. Have you noticed that it is much easier to solve a problem with a “fresh head”? That is, while jogging, we train the body, and the brain stops thinking about work.
Meditation
Apple founder Steve Jobs practiced mindfulness meditation for many years. “If you sit down and just watch yourself, you will find how restless your mind is. And when you try to calm him down, the situation will only get worse. If, after some time, the mind still calms down, the subtlest things will open to you. Your intuition will sharpen, your vision will become clearer, you will be able to feel yourself in the present moment of time - here and now. Your thoughts will slow down, your consciousness will expand, and you will see immeasurably more than before. This is how Steve Jobs described the effect of meditation to his biographer Walter Isaacson.Today, the positive impact of meditation is proven by neuroscience, and giants such as Google, General Mills, Target, and Ford specifically train their employees in much the same meditation that Jobs discovered decades ago. Thanks to the regular practice of meditation, you will get rid of stress, insomnia, and begin to think more clearly. In addition, meditation is something that does not require any resources other than 10-15 minutes of free time. What are your favorite activities to take your mind off programming? Share in the comments ;)
By regularly “turning on” the neurons and synapses in the areas of the brain involved in the process of reading, we maintain the functions for which they are responsible. Among them are attention and memory. It is they who first of all suffer in old age, if they are not trained. Besides exercising neurons, reading can be a great way to relax. During one of the experiments at the University of Sussex (UK), a group of volunteers first artificially increased their stress level, then they were offered several ways to relax, after which the stress level was measured again (the indicators were heart rate and muscle tension). Ways to relax were reading books, listening to music, playing a video game, taking a walk, drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Reading was the most effective - it reduced stress levels by 68%, despite the fact that the subjects spent only 6 minutes behind the book. Now try to remember how long ago you read a fiction book, and not technical documentation or news?
Today, the positive impact of meditation is proven by neuroscience, and giants such as Google, General Mills, Target, and Ford specifically train their employees in much the same meditation that Jobs discovered decades ago. Thanks to the regular practice of meditation, you will get rid of stress, insomnia, and begin to think more clearly. In addition, meditation is something that does not require any resources other than 10-15 minutes of free time. What are your favorite activities to take your mind off programming? Share in the comments ;)
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