Activate Your Brain summary

Sometimes even the most basic activities like showering or walking the dog seem like insurmountable chores. Blame it on your brain chemicals.

Our brain chemicals regulate our mood, and in order to function well, our brain needs just the right amount of them. What’s more, the cocktail of chemicals needed can change on a daily basis, for example, when we hear some bad news or get a lousy night’s sleep.

Many things in life come without a guarantee that everything will work out, be it a marriage or the decision to move to another country. But perfectionism is not the answer. In fact, expecting or waiting for everything to be perfect can kill your confidence and make you feel really insecure.

All these things relate to control, or rather, a lack of it. Fortunately, there are ways to reinforce your sense of control and feel more confident. Begin by changing your attitude.

Remember the last time you really wanted something and actually got it? Chances are, a bit of willpower was involved. Willpower is paramount to success and it has been proven that people who have strong willpower are more successful.

One study by psychologist Walter Mischel in the 1970s showed exactly this. Mischel left some children alone in a room and told them not to eat a marshmallow that was placed in front of them.

Do you enjoy people-watching at airports and cafes? Do you get a kick out of gossiping at work?

You’re in good company – we’re hardwired to take an interest in others. But what about forming relationships and gaining trust?

Several studies have shown that we’re smarter when we’re with others. Teams achieve better results than any solo expert on a given topic. Clearly, we should try to collaborate more with others.

Working with others shouldn’t be a chore, though, since it increases not only our productivity, but gives us joy, too.

Do you love doing cryptic crosswords or getting your head around some sudoku? Great – these activities help your brain to reshape and grow, reducing the chances of you developing dementia.

This kind of mental exercise is fantastic, but what about physical exercise? We all know physical exercise is great for general health, but do you know just how much it improves the health of your brain, too?

Do you sometimes feel like you can’t catch a break from daily stressors? Well, it’s time to get a handle on them. Ongoing stress is the main risk factor for many brain diseases, depression and dementia.

Fortunately, there are ways to dial down the stress and keep your brain fit. One of the easiest ways is sleep. While we slumber, we process the information from that day and store the relevant parts in our memory. Getting sufficient sleep also improves our cognition and mood, making it easier for us to learn and be creative.