JUMP START YOUR BRAIN

VIVAN PATEL decided it was time to build cognitive reserve in his brain by doing a few simple tasks. The results speak for themselves: he became much more aware instead of functioning on autopilot.

- VIVAN PATEL

In order to build and retain cognitive reserve, our brain needs fresh challenges almost on a daily basis to keep our neural pathways open and maintain a healthy central nervous system. I decided to take up this challenge by practicing a few simple exercises I learned in the Brighter Minds Restart program for adults.

One of the things I took up first was to take a different route to work and try to take only left turns to get to office and ... well, it's not always possible! I was able to make it eventually but I had to get quite creative and think of different options while I was driving. I was fully aware rather than operating like we normally do from the subconscious mind and following our habitual patterns.

The other thing I tried was cycling to work, which is actually quite amazing because I was able to observe things minutely as well as engage all the senses. For instance, cycling behind a fruit vendor's cart I could actually smell the bananas.

Curiously, depending on how ripe the bananas were, I could perceive different smells on different days I began to understand the different stages of ripening and whether they were ready to eat simply by cycling in their wake!