Try this free “neurological treat” to sharpen brain function

Usually we try to hide it. We never want to be rude, after all.

But forget that and go ahead…stretch your arms and–yawn.

According to Andrew Newburg, M.D., it’s one of the best things you can do for your brain.

As a neurological researcher, Dr. Newburg has used neuroimaging to explore the mysteries of memory, aging, and dementia.

Along the way, he discovered the benefits of the yawn.

Dr. Newburg: “Several recent brain-scan studies have shown that yawning evokes a unique neural activity in the areas of the brain that are directly involved in generating social awareness and creating feelings of empathy.”

But Dr. Newburg has found that yawning also helps you stay focused by bringing your brain to a heightened state of cognitive awareness.

This process includes a variety of neurochemicals, including dopamine, which activates key neurotransmitters in areas of the brain that regulate memory.

But don’t just wait for a yawn. Dr. Newburg recommends yawning several times each day. His technique: Just fake yawn a few times and you’ll trigger the real thing.

He calls it a “neurological treat.”

And it costs quite a bit less than a double espresso.

Source:
“Yawn–It’s one of the best things you can do for your brain” Andrew Newburg, M.D., The Pennsylvania Gazette, November/December 2009, upenn.edu/gazette