Writing by hand (and changing hands when writing) improves memory, while rosemary protects the brain from neurodegeneration
It is important to constantly exercise the brain (adult brains also develop and change)
People learn and remember using associations (connections) that are created in various parts of the cerebral cortex (which are connected to a situation or to some people). The hippocampus (the part of the brain that selects information, selects useful information for the future and stores it in various parts of the cerebral cortex with connections based on which mental maps are created) is responsible for this.
American and Swedish scientists have proven that the brain of adults has the ability to adapt, grow and change the patterns of connections between brain cells (contrary to the belief that brain cells and the connections between them develop only in children’s age and that their function and human mental abilities weaken over the years) .

1. Writing by hand improves memory (say Norwegian experts). They asked the volunteers to first type the text on the keyboard and then write the text by hand. They find that handwriting increases connectivity in brain regions critical to memory formation. In addition, when writing by hand, mental and physical effort is made during the writing process. But if you change the hand you write with, it will stimulate the brain – if you normally use your right hand to write, the pen is normally controlled by the left side of the cerebral cortex. When you switch the pencil to the other hand, the area of ​​the brain is activated, as well as the network of connections and circuits on the opposite, right side. Suddenly the brain is faced with a new challenge.
2. Research reveals that negative feelings (which negatively affect the normal functioning of the brain) should be written on paper and then torn up and thrown in the bin. Scientists believe that the positive effects can be related to the phenomenon of “reverse magical contagion” (when actions taken on another object connected to another person can affect the individual). Thus, by throwing paper, the anger disappears.
3. Curiosity (about new experiences) also improves memory and can be a human protection against Alzheimer’s disease (shows a recent study published in the journal “Neurobiology of Aging”). The study included 400 respondents aged 19 to 80. Respondents with a high level of openness, i.e. a wide range of interests, show stronger brain resistance. The authors of the study explain that openness protects the brain even if the brain is already showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
4. Less than half an hour of sleep during the day is beneficial for the brain and helps to preserve the size of the brain for a longer period – researchers from University College London found. The brain of people who sleep for a short time during the day is larger by 15 cubic centimeters (which is equivalent to delaying aging by 3 to 6 years). They warn that daytime sleep should last less than half an hour. Today, many people (due to business obligations and general life obligations) find it difficult to take time to sleep during the day. Daytime sleep is essential for newborn babies, and then it becomes less common as people get older. Sleep sees a resurgence after retirement. About 27% of respondents over the age of 65 sleep during the day. Advice for sleep is pretty easy to give compared to advice for weight loss or exercise, experts say (because they are difficult for many people). The brain naturally shrinks with aging, and additional research on the positive impact of daytime sleep on Alzheimer’s disease should be done. Brain health is important in preventing dementia and conditions related to disturbed sleep. Researchers suggest that poor sleep damages the brain over time by causing inflammatory conditions (and this adversely affects the connections between brain cells). Regular napping can protect against neurodegeneration because it compensates for lack of sleep, say researchers. Some will prefer to choose half an hour of exercise over finding a comfortable place to sleep at work (which is also very useful). Naps can improve health but can have a negative effect because a person feels tired and needs more sleep. Therefore, it is important to limit daytime sleep to less than half an hour.
5. Coffee is proven to be a good drink (especially for the brain), but in the right quantities. The correct measure is 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, which can have a good effect on better brain function (research from 2023 in Germany shows). Coffee helps people live longer, alleviates inflammatory conditions and reduces the risk of diabetes. An exploratory population study was conducted in Hamburg, which studied the brains of more than 2,000 people aged 45 to 74. The study compared 4 groups of people who say they drink coffee regularly – less than 1 cup a day, 1 to 2 cups a day, 3 to 4 and 5 to 6 cups of coffee a day. The study thus showed that people who drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day have the strongest brain structure (multiple factors were observed including preserved cortical thickness, which is generally associated with higher intelligence). The improvement was seen to be greater in people who did not drink coffee compared to people who drank more coffee. The study design was not perfect, so the authorsstudies noted that the study was conducted on a small and homogeneous group. Coffee has been shown to slow cognitive decline and potentially reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, a meta-analysis of the effects of coffee from 2017 shows that coffee reduces the incidence of cardiovascular and other diseases, neurological, metabolic and liver conditions. Not all scientific studies considered the exact number of cups of coffee, but some studies suggest that 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day is enough (due to the preservation of critical brain structures, helping to improve cognitive abilities and overall brain function, i.e. optimal benefits from coffee). It is advised that a person does not consume coffee if he feels nervous, anxious or has a palpitation.
   6.Other ways to support brain health on a daily basis include prioritizing sleep, activity and learning new knowledge.
   7.Playing a musical instrument or singing could help maintain brain health in old age, British scientists have found.
   9.Using the Internet is beneficial for better brain function, at least for middle-aged and older people, according to a new study by American scientists.
   9. Rosemary is a protector of the brain and a popular herb. The active substance “komozic acid” protects the brain from neurodegeneration (caused by damage caused by the action of free radicals). One of the most well-known neurodegenerative diseases is Alzheimer’s disease (explained by scientists from research centers in Los Angeles and Japan). Dr. Tahumi Satoha from Japan and Dr. Stewart Lipton from Los Angeles performed the experiments. Their work shows that komosic acid becomes active due to the influence of free radicals and attacks free radicals instead of neurons, so the neurons remain preserved. Komozic acid thus assumes the role of an active agent without unwanted consequences. Komozic acid works through a redox chemistry mechanism (in which electrons are transferred from one molecule to another to activate the body’s immune response). At the same time, scientists say that possible new neurological drugs with medicinal ingredients from rosemary would be completely harmless to humans.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com

http://www.24sata.hr

http://www.skole.hr

Journal Neuobiology of Aging https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/neurobiology-of-aging

https://avaz.ba/sveznadar/595382/ruzmarin-stiti-mozak

cover page Rosemary plant (www.pexels.com)