Seven rules to power up your brain to the maximum

If you want to use the power of your brain to the maximum, there are several ways to do it, as shown by research.

First, play a sport. Scientists from the Institute of Biological Research in Salk, California, found in the late 1990s that mice running in a spinning wheel had twice as many cells in the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory.

Second, monitor your posture. Try to do sums in your head, sitting wrong and looking at the floor. Then try to do the same but sitting with a straight back, looking upwards or directly in front of you. You will notice that it is easier to think in the second variant.

Third, boost blood circulation. Poor circulation prevents full concentration. If you are in the same position for a long time, try to stretch your legs for at least one or two minutes. This restores proper circulation.

Fourth, try meditation. Keeping calm and relaxing is just as good as doing sport, as meditation improves both mental and physical health. Studies show meditation can have a significant effect on improving memory and reducing stress levels.

Watch: Five easy exercises to ease and strengthen ageing joints

How functional fitness trains body for daily tasks, plus five exercises

Fifth, train your mind, not just your body. Different areas of the brain can be developed by forcing them to work. Try new tastes and smells. If you are right-handed, try to do something with your left, and vice versa. Travel to new places, go to work on new routes. Try to paint.

Sixth, improve your skill set. Simple activities such as sewing, reading, drawing and solving crossword puzzles help keep the brain healthy.

And seventh, open up new opportunities. Find a new solution to problems. Regardless of how old you are and what you do, your brain just needs a workload. It can be logical tasks, memorising Shakespeare or learning a new language. Make your brain work hard if you do not want it to rust like a car in a landfill.

Dylan Menders, Roubaix, France