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Learning a Foreign Language

Languages are fascinating. They are more than just a means of communication; they’re used to heal, bring joy, express ideas and showcase emotion. Languages have allowed humans to reach great heights, brought people together, and build cultures. There are around 6,500 spoken languages in the world and every single of them is unique. Some go beyond words and are very difficult to learn. For example, the Xhosa language incorporates click consonants. There are also hundreds of whistle languages that utilize whistle tones instead of words.

There are so many options out there and a lifetime to learn as many languages as you desire. While learning a language and developing proficiency is certainly pleasurable, there are several other reasons why you should consider it. One of the most important reasons to learn a new language or languages is the impact the process has on your brain.

Language and the Brain

We learn how to speak our native tongue at a very young age, while the human brain is still developing and forming connections. Every time a child learns a new word or understands meanings of sentences, a new connection forms in their brain. These connections are formed based on the language people learn. A new language requires some rewiring because you might need to learn new sounds, consonants, and ways to speak.

For example, research shows that native Japanese speakers can’t distinguish between “r” and “i” sounds because their “r” sound is different and “l” doesn’t exist in the language. When they hear “r” and “l” sounds, only one area of their brain lights up in MRI. When a native English speaker hears these sounds, two areas of the brain light up.

For a native Japanese speaker to distinguish between the sounds, they need to develop new connections in their brain, which increases the size of their brain. This is applicable to all new learning because every language has different elements. Each new language forces you to form fresh connections inside the brain, which increases the size of it. That, in turn, makes learning other things easier.

How Does Learning a New Language Benefit the Brain?

Better connections and a larger brain size have a big impact on everyday life. Many people notice an improvement in their productivity levels and their ability to retain information. Here’s a look at some of the best known and proven benefits of learning a foreign language:

•Decision Making – Decision making is a complex and stressful activity and most people don’t realize that. The brain calculates several odds, considers different scenarios, before making a decision. Research suggests bilingual and multilingual people are better equipped to understand subtleties and nuances. They have a multilayered thought process during decision making and will consider all data rationally. This leads to better decisions based on good reasoning. Monolingual people are more likely to react emotionally.

•Improved Memory – Bilingual and multilingual children perform better in tasks that involve working memory than monolingual children. People experience a marked improvement in their ability to store and process information in a short period of time.

•Better Attention Span – Those accustomed to speaking two or more languages make an automatic decision to focus on one or the other depending on the situation. This requires active focus and the ability to filter information at the same time. They’re used to this and have sharper focus or attention span than monolingual people.

•Multitasking – As people are able to switch focus on from language to another smoothly, they also have the ability to switch focus from one task to another. Bilinguals have better working memories, sharper focus, ability to filter distractions, and switch focus. All of these characteristics help with multitasking.

•Better Cognitive Ability – Studies conducted by the University of Edinburg suggests bilingual students have better reading comprehension, verbal fluency, and general intelligence. They are better students and more likely to succeed.

•Delayed Onset of Degenerative Diseases – This is one of the biggest benefits of learning a foreign language. Studies show that bilingual individuals develop degenerative diseases like dementia more than five years later than monolingual people. They are also less likely to develop it in the first place.

There’s no need to stop at one. Neurologists in Las Vegas believe that adding multiple foreign languages will only improve brain development. This skill will also open up a different carrier path for you, which is always beneficial.

Is it Too Late?

Most people learn only one language while growing up, though it isn’t uncommon for children to learn two or even three languages in some communities. It’s easier to learn while the brain is still growing and developing but that doesn’t mean it is impossible to learn later. Many people learn new languages in their twenties, thirties, forties, or even fifties. It doesn’t matter when you start learning because the benefits remain the same. You’ll still develop new connections and the brain will still grow.

It’s never too late to start learning, but starting as early as possible means you have an easier time with it. Languages aren’t difficult to learn, especially if they’re similar to your native tongue. For example, a native English speaker will have an easier time learning Spanish than they would while learning Mandarin.

Adults learn quickly through immersion and communication. People living in different countries surrounded by a different language adapt quickly. If a native English speaker lives in Germany for a year and puts in some effort, they will learn Garman quickly. A native English speaker living in America and not immersed in the environment will have a more difficult time.

Language is an exercise for the brain so it is a preventive step you can take to stall a number of degenerative diseases and brain-related problems. That doesn’t mean it is a cure and can replace treatment from a qualified neurologist. If you or a loved one experience signs of mental disorders or degeneration, contact your Las Vegas neurologist for effective treatment and therapy.

Daytime Naps for The Brain

Work and everyday stresses can take their toll on your body and mind. Excessive strain can lead to burnout, mental health problems, physical health problems like blood pressure, etc. Unfortunately, the modern lifestyle is very stressful with poor work-life balance. That’s one of the reasons why even big companies like Google encourage their employees to take daytime naps.

You don’t have to spend too much time napping because just 90 minutes is enough to reboot the brain and rejuvenate you. Many adults hesitate to indulge in naps because they believe it is for children. Some think daytime naps might have a negative impact on nighttime sleep, but that’s not the case.

You just need to make sure your nap length is relatively short. If you take a 3-4 hour siesta, the sleep cycle will be disrupted and that will affect the nighttime sleep cycle. Here are some reasons why daytime naps are important for your brain:

1. The Eight-Hour Sleep Cycle is a Recent Trend

Different cultures have different notions when it comes to sleep cycles. Countries with hot or temperate climates like India, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc., have a “napping” culture where people will take 2 to 3 hours to finish lunch and take a nap. They also have the habit of getting up early and sleeping at a relatively modest time.

This two-sleep schedule has worked well to keep their minds active and alert during rest of the day. Chinese employees are known to place their head on the desk for a short 1-hour nap before or after lunch. All of these factors boost productivity and prove that the 8-hour cycle doesn’t have to be the norm. Studies have shown that giving the brain a break can help a person feel much more focused and energetic.

2. Sleep Deprivation Hampers The Brain’s Ability to Focus

Sleep deprived people will perform at the same level of efficiency as someone who has had a restful sleep. This means if you give both individuals the same task, their performance will be equal. But maintaining that level of competence is difficult if you’re sleep deprived as your brain will have trouble refocusing.

Almost everyone loses their focus, especially if they have to perform repetitive tasks. A person who has slept well will lose attention for a short span of time before the brain reacts and increases focus. This is where a sleep-deprived brain falters because once you lose focus, there’s little to no reaction.

The brain simply fails to get back to the task, which is why a power nap can help. Even a 20-minute break with absolutely no disturbances can help rewire it and put you back on the right track. However, if you don’t have the ability to focus despite getting ample sleep, it is time to consult a Las Vegas Neurologist because the problem might lie elsewhere.

3. Prevents Burnouts

Our minds are constantly subjected to information and stimulation. This can cause a considerable amount of stress to the brain. Constantly calculating data, making logical leaps, providing creative input, and making decisions can overload the mind. This leads to a drop in productivity and performance.

There was a study conducted in Massachusetts involving students who weren’t sleep deprived. They were asked to stare at the screen filled with horizontal bars. Every once in a while, three diagonal bars would flash on the screen and students were asked to identify if they were stacked vertical or horizontal.

They underwent this frustrating task 1,250 times in a day. Results showed that students who took an hour’s nap performed better than those who didn’t. Similar tests indicated that the brain becomes overstimulated after three trials, which led to burnout. The only way to remove such stress and overstimulation is through a nap or full sleep.

4. The Effect of a Nap Lasts for a Long Time</h2

The effects of a good, restful nap can last for a long time and will see you through the rest of the day. For example, an hour’s nap will help a person stay alert until dinner time. 2 or 3-hour naps will cause drowsiness for at least an hour before the brain refocuses.

Once the brain has refocused, you will be alert for at least 5 to 6 hours easily. It’s a good idea to limit the nap to under 90 minutes for best results because you don’t want to slip into a deep sleep in the middle of the day. Deep sleep shouldn’t be interrupted as it can cause drowsiness and increase fatigue.

Naps have a positive impact on memory and can help you retain information better. A study proved this by providing test subjects with cards to memorize. After they had memorized the cards, they got a 40-minute break. One part of the group napped during this break while the other stayed awake. Unsurprisingly, the group that napped performed much better than the group that didn’t.

It indicates that napping helps your mind solidify and store memories efficiently. This happens because information is first stored in the hippocampus immediately after memorization. This memory can become lost because it can be easily overwritten by other data. Napping pushes this memory to the neocortex, which provides permanent storage. This ensures the information isn’t easily overwritten, and that preserves your memory for a long time.

Weak and fragile memory can sometimes be a sign of degenerative diseases. If you experience unexplained memory loss or have difficulty retaining information, contact a good neurologist to determine the root cause.

The left part of the brain, which is dominant in most individuals, is fairly silent and inactive during a nap. The right side of the brain is very active during this time and researchers speculate this is because it’s performing a cleanup. During this active period, the right side pushes memories deeper and sorts through pending tasks that are in the way. When you wake up, all lingering information is sorted and the brain is ready for more challenges.

As you can see, a nap can have a significant impact on the brain, mental health, and you’re your physical health. It’s why Silver State Neurology recommends that people of all ages take short naps during the course of their day.

Soothe the brain with music

Stress and exhaustion can play havoc on the body as well as the mind. Unfortunately, people, today deal with this on a daily basis in their personal and professional lives. Most have demanding jobs that require intense focus for long hours of the day; others have to deal with family issues, raising children, or taking care of dependents, all of which can take their toll on their health and wellbeing.

It is important to focus on your health by finding productive outlets to all this buildup. If you don’t find something to soothe your mind, the stress will eventually lead to physical health consequences. Silver State Neurology agrees that music can have a big impact on the mind and can soothe the brain.

Does Music Really Help?

People have been making and listing to music for thousands of years. Even the earliest humans made small, crude musical instruments from wood, stones, and other available materials. There’s something about music that attracts our attention and influences our mood. Lively dance music can send energy rushing through a person’s veins, a love song can make people cry, and hard and angry rock music can help people vent anger. So it’s not surprising that soothing, mellow music can calm the mind.

Various studies have been conducted on the influence of sounds, rhythm, and melody on the mind and most of them show positive results. A research study involving 60 healthy female subjects with a mean age of 25 showcased that soothing music had a marked impact on an individual response to stress and recovery. This means that not only do you deal with stress better when listening to music, but you also recover from it quicker.

There’s a branch of medicine dedicated specifically to music and its ability to influence the nervous system psychologically and physiologically. Music therapy is used by neurologists to treat and soothe people with disabilities, disorders, chronic diseases, and similar health concerns. While music is great for everyday stress, it is important to consult with a professional neurologist if you’re looking for treatment for anything beyond that.

How Do You Hear Music?

When you understand how a human being hears sounds, it’s easy to understand why they have such a big impact on the mind. When sound enters the ear, the eardrums vibrate in response. Small piston-like bones in the middle of the ear amplify these vibrations, which is carried to the inner ear. The inner ear has a small chamber full of water and around 30,000 microscopic hair cells. These hair cells respond to the vibration frequencies; the shorter ones responding to higher wavelengths and longer ones responding to lower wavelengths.

These movements are then transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain, which then translates into sound. The ear is just an instrument and the brain actually does the hearing. According to recent research, the first brain cells to respond to sound influence early functional organization, which is why there’ s a link between sound and cognitive function.This shows sounds and music directly influence the brain and thought processes. It’s one of the reasons why neurologists believe in the power of music and sometimes will even recommend it to patients.

Influencing the Default Mode

Most people don’t know that the brain goes into a default thought process when it is not actively working on something. This is a predictable and consistent neurological activity that doesn’t have any direction; however, it does have an impact on your mood. It is very common to ruminate during this neurological state, to think painful thoughts, focus on worrying subjects, dwell on the past, etc.

The mind goes over these thoughts repeatedly with no resolution or productive outcome. People prone to this default are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, moodiness, or even anger. Soothing music can help draw focus away from these thoughts and even direct it outward. Natural sounds are most effective in drawing attention outward; so things like wind blowing, crickets chirping, birds singing, rain, waves, etc., will soothe the mind.

Mellow, soft, and repetitive music that doesn’t have many sharp pitches has a similar effect and will elevate your mood. Playing music or nature sounds when your thoughts drift can help you maintain a positive mindset and help you de-focus from stress. Even a short break for 15 to 20 minutes can make a harrowing day less stressful.

How to Choose Relaxing Music

Individual responses to musical stimulus vary, so find music that soothes you can be challenging. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

•Choose a Genre You Prefer – You prefer certain genres over others because they stimulate the brain in a specific way and have a better effect. Many people find classical music relaxing but if you don’t really prefer it, such songs won’t do much to relieve stress. Start with genres you love, even if it is lively EDM.

•Keep Pace in Mind – High-paced music will stimulate the brain and encourage it to be more active, which isn’t what you need. Choose slow songs or songs that slow down in pace gradually. Music that has a consistent pace of 70 BPM will get both your body and mind to a relaxed state. Music that starts at a high BPM but gradually slows down to 60 or 50 BPM will slow your body and mind down gradually, which is more effective.

•Skip Complex Music – Complex music with abrupt changes in rhythm, pacing, or tone force your brain to focus. Such music is jarring and will add to your stress instead of soothing the brain. Choose music with a steady beat, consistent tone, and very little change in pace.

It’s a good idea to skip songs with words, especially words in a language you speak. For example, people who speak English and Spanish should skip songs in these languages and choose instrumental or music in different languages. All of these factors will help you choose the best music option for relaxation.

Music is for therapeutic purposes only and can’t be considered a cure. People experiencing problems like substantial anxiety, health concerns caused by excessive stress or strain on the brain, and neurological disorders must consult with your Las Vegas Neurologist.

Tips for De-Stressing After a Long Week

The unfortunate fact is, we rarely stop to think what fast-paced lifestyles, sedentary jobs, unhealthy or erratic dietary habits, and lack of exercise does to our health and overall well-being. Our bodies have an inbuilt system for speed and stress; however, they also have a powerful hard-wired system for quiet and relaxation. Using the right system at the right time can help us move through life efficiently and faster, yet without burning out our physical bodies.

No matter which way you look at it, the modern world is designed to increase stress levels. Wherever you look, you see people suffering from lifestyle-related diseases such as anxiety, depression, chronic migraine headaches, indigestion, obesity as well as more complex health problems such as diabetes, heart conditions and more. While every person has their own ways of coping with stress, research indicates that most of these aren’t effective.

There’s a lot of stress-related research undertaken by neurology experts, which indicates that the most commonly used stress-busting strategies are also reported to be highly ineffective by the very same people that use them.

For instance, only a meager 15% of individuals that eat certain foods to reduce stress, report that they are actually effective. Many people gorge on chocolate when they feel depressed or anxious; most of these people will also tell you that eventually, the only reliable change they experience in their mood by consuming their food of choice is an increased level of guilt.

Effective Tips For De-Stressing

We at Silver State Neurology firmly believe that keeping stress at bay requires a combination of techniques. Here are a few tips for de-stressing after a long work week:

1. Clench Your Facial Muscles Tightly And Then Relax Them

The connection between your body and brain is always a two-way street, which includes a distinctive feedback loop. This means if you are unable to get your brain to direct your body to calm down, you can use your body to calm your brain down. When your brain gets stressed, your muscles will tighten up.

Tense muscles relay a signal back to your brain telling it that you’re stressed. This makes it crucial to breaking the loop. You can do this by clenching your facial muscles and then relaxing them. This helps your body send a signal to your brain telling it that you aren’t stressed anymore and that your brain should de-stress too. Some of the most important muscles you should relax are the facial muscles because these have the most effect on emotion. However, relaxing your abdomen, butt and hands are equally important too.

2. Slow, Deep Breathing Techniques

This is one of the simplest and most effective tips for de-stressing that you can do at any time and anyplace. You don’t need a specific setting or time to do some slow, deep breathing exercises. The vagus nerve in the human body is one of its primary emotional highways. It constantly sends signals up to your brain and to your heart and plays a vital role in regulating the body’s fight-or-flight system. Direct stimulation of the vagus nerve is a great way to fix these issues.

The manner in which you breathe can impact the way your vagus nerve functions. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the quickest ways to alter your emotional state. Deep breathing connects to the brain via signals that are carried by this vagus nerve. This signaling is vital in activating the parasympathetic nervous system (circuits for relaxation and resting).

When you consciously breathe slowly and deeply, it increases your vagus nerve’s activity levels and catalyzes your brain towards parasympathetic activity, which helps calm you down. Breathe very slowly through your nose up to a count of six or eight. Then pause for just a couple of seconds at the peak of your inhalation and exhale very slowly via your nose for that same count.

3. Splash Your Face And Neck With Cold Water

Splashing cold water on your face jolts your vagus nerve and slows your heart rate down. Your brain will feel the drop in your heart rate and tells it not to continue being stressed. If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, simply cup your hands under cold water and, splash it quickly on your face.

Other Useful Tips For De-Stressing

In addition to all these pointers, some of the other things you can do include:

•Eat and drink sensibly, at regular intervals
•Assert yourself and learn to say “no” when you are overworked
•Exercise regularly
•Maintain a healthy and nutritious diet
•Get a sufficient amount of sleep and establish a regular sleep routine
•Set realistic health goals and stick to them
•Listen to calming music
•Watch kitten/puppy antics videos
•Dance/play an instrument or indulge in some other fun activity
•Socialize and meet up with friends
•Spend leisure time with family
•Learn to relax, think positive and laugh a lot
•Stay away from your phone and other electronic devices for some part of the day

Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy

Looking after your body & mind are some of the most important things to do to boost your long-term memory, reduce stress and improve brain function. While all of the above-mentioned tips for de-stressing are ones you can follow on a regular basis to reduce your stress levels, there may be times when you feel you need some additional help.

Consider consulting our experienced Las Vegas Neurologist; Dr. Milford will assess your condition and provide treatments for diseases/disorders that can come from excessive stresses or strains in the brain. They will adopt a holistic neurological stress reduction therapy approach to help increase core level energy, promote natural & healthy detoxification, boost your immune system, and bring the body and mind back to balance.

De-stress therapies aren’t a one-time activity. It’s about taking small steps and making seemingly minor changes to the way you think, work, act and react, to help you live a stress-free and healthy life.

Challenging your Brain

There is no right age to start thinking of how to keep your brain healthy. People who challenge their brains are likely to live a longer and more fulfilling life! There are different types of exercises that can boost our brain energy, but mental health exercises are often overlooked. Take some time each day to give your mind a mental workout!

Things that benefit our brain are right in front of us, sometimes we don’t see it right away. Add these simple tips into your everyday life more frequently!

Learn new things

Nothing wrong with a little new information every now and then. Whether you learn a new language, an instrument or studying a different career industry, learning should be a consistent part of your life! Learning new things challenges your brain’s skills in memory retainment, reading, problem-solving and so much more. Be curious about the world around, add to your vocabulary, utilize the internet when you come across something you’ve never seen.

You may consider learning a new hobby! If you want to start with something simple, a new hobby is a great way to start. Starting a new hobby allows you to get your creativity flowing and makes you think! Sometimes the things we are good at have yet to be discovered!

Be Productive in the Mornings

Routines are healthy for the brain. Waking up early and jump-starting your day with a to-do list not only boosts productivity but it prevents your brain from feeling sluggish all day. Changing up your routine is the challenge. Yes, it is important to have a routine weekly, but it’s even healthier to change it up every now and then by adding new tasks or doing things differently. A fixed routine can eventually make your brain feel too accustomed to something.

Rotate between being Old-Fashioned & Current

Technology is something many people rely on and not rely on enough. There are those few who are heavily dependent on using their smartphones and laptops and then there are those who rather not dive into learning how to use technology to their advantage.

If you aren’t familiar with the technology, it might be a great thing to teach yourself. It’s important to stay current and there’ s nothing wrong with learning something new especially if you can use it to your advantage.

If you rely on technology a little too much, try doing things the hard way sometimes:

  • Use your brain for basic math you need to add or even memorizing phone numbers of people important to you!
  • Use your sense of direction and mental skills to figure out where to go without using a GPS from your phone.
  • Stay Well-Read

    Regardless of your interests, it’s important to read. Read anything! Books, magazines, articles, food labels. Reading stimulates your brain and keeps your mind pumping. It’s one of the simplest ways to challenge your brain.

    Keep up with current events, even if it’s a little a day. Whether you are staying updated with the environment, politics, world news or even local news, stimulate your brain by learning about things that are happening right now. You may even consider learning about the technological changes that are happening in society today! You will be surprised by what you learn each day, there is always something new.