Optimal Brain Health
- Home
- Optimal Brain Health
Resources for Optimal Brain Health
The practices and techniques shared here are designed to enhance your journey toward optimal brain health and emotional well-being.
Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness practices help reinforce healthy neural pathways and enhance the brain’s ability to regulate attention and emotional responses.
Breathwork Techniques
Breathwork directly influences your autonomic nervous system by helping to regulate stress responses and promote relaxation.
Movement
Therapy
Movement therapy improves body awareness, releases tension, and promotes cross-hemisphere brain integration.
Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness practices help reinforce healthy neural pathways and enhance the brain’s ability to regulate attention and emotional responses. It supports overall mental clarity, emotional balance,and resilience.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice ofbringing your attention to the present moment with openness,curiosity, and acceptance. Research shows that regular mindfulness practice can:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve focus and attention
- Enhance emotional regulation
- Supports neuroplasticity (your brain's ability to reorganize itself)
- Reduce rumination and negative thought patterns
Mindfulness Practices
Basic Breath Awareness (5 minutes)
- Sit comfortably with your back straight but not rigid
- Bring your attention to the natural rhythm ofyour breath
- Notice the sensation ofair entering and leaving your nostrils
- When your mind wanders (which is normal), gently return your focus to your breath
- Practice for 5 minutes daily, gradually increasing to 15-20 minutes
Body Scan Practice (10 minutes)
- Lie down or sit in a comfortable position
- Bring attention to each part ofyour body sequentially, starting from your toes and moving upward
- Notice any sensations withoutjudgment (tension, warmth, tingling, or even the absence of sensation)
- if you notice tension, imagine breathing into that area and releasing the tension as you exhale
- This practice enhances the mind-body connection and helps release physical tension that often accompanies mental stress
Mindful Walking (10-15 minutes)
- Walk at a natural pace in a safe environment
- Focus on the sensations in your feet as they contact the ground
- Notice the movement of your legs, arms and the rhythm ofyour breath
- When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the physical sensations of walking
- This practice is especially helpful for those who find sitting meditation challenging
Mindful Eating Exercise (One meal per day)
- Choose one meal daily to eat mindfully
- Observe the appearance, smell, and texture ofyour food
- Take small bites and chew slowly, noticing flavors and textures
- Put down your utensils between bites
- Notice hunger and fullness cues
- This practice strengthens your ability to pay attention while engaging in a necessary daily activity
Apps for Mental Health Support
Calm
Features daily meditation sessions and sleep stories
Ten Percent Happier
Evidence-based meditations with a focus on practical benefits
Miracle of Mind
Offers a 7-minute guided meditation to boost clarity, focus, and emotional balance
Breathwork Techniques
Breathwork directly influences your autonomic nervous system by helping to regulate stress responses and promote relaxation.
How Breathing Affects Your Brain
Your breathing pattern has a direct impact on your nervous system and brain function:
- Fast, shallow breathing activates your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response), increasing stress hormones and potentially disrupting optimal brain function
- Slow, deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest response), reducing stress hormones and creating an optimal state for brain healing and neuroplasticity
Effective Breathwork Techniques
Diaphragmatic Breathing (3-5 minutes)
- Sit or lie comfortably with one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen
- Breathe in slowly through your nose, ensuring your abdomen expands while your chest remains relatively still
- Exhale slowly through your mouth or nose
- Practice for 3-5 minutes, 2-3 times daily
- This foundational technique activates your parasympathetic nervous system and reduces stress
4-7-8 Breathing (1-2 minutes)
- Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4
- Hold your breath for the count of 7
- Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, for a count of 8
- Repeat for 4 cycles
- Practice 2-3 times daily, especially when feeling stressed or before bed
- This technique quickly activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to reduce anxiety
Alternate Nostril Breathing (5 minutes)
- Sit comfortably with your spine straight
- Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly through your left nostril
- Close your left nostril with your right ring finger, release your thumb, and exhale through your right nostril
- Inhale through your right nostril, then close it with your thumb
- Release your ring finger and exhale through your left nostril
- Continue for 5 minutes
- This technique balances the hemispheres ofyour brain and has a calming effect on the nervous system
Box Breathing (2-5 minutes)
- Inhale for a count of 4
- Hold your breath for a count of 4
- Exhale for a count of 4
- Hold your breath for a count of 4
- Repeat for 2-5 minutes
- This technique is excellent for improving focus and concentration
When to Practice Breathwork
- During moments of stress throughout the day
- Before bed to improve sleep quality
- Upon waking o set a calm tone for the day
Movement Therapy
Movement therapy improves body awareness, releases tension, and promotes cross-hemisphere brain integration.
How Movement Enhances Brain Function
Movement therapy offers several benefits:
- Increases blood flow to the brain, delivering more oxygen and nutrients
- Promotes the release of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), a protein that supports neuroplasticity
- Reduces physical tension that can impede neurological integration
- Encourages cross-hemispheric coordination, strengthening neural connections
- Provides a physical outlet for emotional processing, supporting the neurological shifts occurring with microneurofeedback
Effective Movement Practices
Bilateral Movement Exercises (5-10 minutes)
- March in place while swinging your arms in opposition (right arm with left leg)
- Draw horizontal figure eights with your arms or hands
- Tap alternating hands to alternating knees
- Practice for 5-10 minutes daily
- These simple movements strengthen communication between brain hemispheres
Gentle Yoga Sequences (15-20 minutes)
- Cat-Cow: On hands and knees, alternate between arching and rounding your back
- Child's Pose: Kneel and rest your torso over your thighs with arms extended or by your sides
- Gentle Twists: Seated or lying down, gently rotate your spine
- Standing Forward Fold: From standing, hinge at hips and reach toward the floor
- Practice daily, especially after microneurofeedback sessions
- These poses release tension in the body and promote parasympathetic activation
Tension Release Exercises (5-10 minutes)
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then release each muscle group
- Gentle Shaking: Shake out arms, legs, and hands to release held tension
- Spontaneous Movement: Allow your body to move naturally and spontaneously for 2-3 minutes
- Practice whenever you feel physically tense
- These exercises help release physical tensions that can hold emotional patterns in place
Brain Gym® Movements (5 minutes)
- Cross Crawl: Touch hand to opposite knee while marching
- Brain Buttons: One hand massages the points below the collarbone while the other hand rests on the navel
- Hook-ups: Cross ankles and wrists and hold for 1 minute while breathing deeply
- Practice before mental tasks or microneurofeedback sessions
- These movements specifically target brain integration and cognitive function
Incorporating Movement Into Your Day
- Morning routine: 5-10 minutes ofgentle movement to wake up your nervous system
- Movement breaks: 1-2 minutes ofmovement every hour if you have a sedentary job
- Evening unwinding: 10-15 minutes ofyoga or tension release before bed
Our Commitment to Your Child's Health
Because Your Health Matters Most
At our clinic, we provide care for children of all ages, including newborns. This ensures that you can rely on our services throughout your child’s development. Our extensive experience in pediatric care allows us to deliver top-notch service. We are dedicated to making every visit enjoyable for both you and your child. For your convenience, we offer same-day sick appointments, allowing you to schedule an urgent visit on the same day by calling our office.
