Taking Care of The Brain
Over the last 10 years, scientists have found out much more about how the brain works and how we can take care of our brain – the most unique part of our body.
This text provides you with some of the latest information, so that you can help your child (and you) maintain a healthy brain.
SECURITY
The brain works best when it is relaxed. Stress blocks the messages sent around the brain. For children to be able to use their brains fully and learn effectively, we need to provide a secure environment around them, at home and school.
This includes:
making sure children feel safe
Children will not learn well if they are worried.
keeping children informed
Letting them know what they are going to do, and why, so they can make sense of what happens to them.
making children feel valued
Praising them for a job well done, so they know when they do things well. A hug is a great brain relaxer!
helping children deal with problems and feelings
When we experience anger, sadness, confusion or other strong feelings, the rational part of our brain, which uses logic and helps us make decisions, cannot work as well. The ancient, 'animal’ part of our brain takes over.
Dealing with strong feelings is therefore one of the hardest lessons to learn. Children need to understand the need to stay calm in a difficult situation, so that their 'thinking’ brain can still function. How we deal with our feelings is known as ‘emotional intelligence’.
EXERCISE
Obesity (being severely overweight) is on the
increase – especially in children.
WHY?
People today do not lead such an active life as our
parents / grandparents.
WHY DO WE NEED TO EXERCISE?
Our bodies need exercise to keep
circulation and muscles healthy.
We also need to use up the energy made from the food we eat, or the body stores it as fat
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Eat sensibly and exercise regularly.
Encourage your child to do some form of exercise each day; something to get the blood pumping round the body.
Be a good example. If you look after yourself, your child is likely to copy and benefit from the lifestyle you set.
Take advantage of the opportunities provided by school
Walk to school
Make sure your child always has their P.E. kit
Always send your child with the correct swimming kit
Encourage your child to play active games at break times and take part in after-school clubs
DO WE HAVE TO DO ORGANISED SPORTS?
Lots of children love sports and this is an excellent way to keep fit, but not the only way. Everyone needs exercise whether they like sport or not. These are all good ways to keep fit:
Riding a bike · Dancing · Gardening
Running/jogging · Skipping · Swimming
Running up stairs · Skating · Walking
Chasing games · Skateboards, pogo sticks,
Park Playgrounds scooters
WATER
Research has now shown the benefits for our body if we drink plenty of water – plain water. The recommended intake is approximately 2 litres per day.
Most of us don’t manage to drink this much, but increasing our intake of water helps many organs of the body work better, including our brain.
If the brain starts to dehydrate, the messages passed from cell to cell don’t work as well as they should. Keeping the brain topped up with water helps learning to be as
effective as possible.
The tap water is in addition to any other drinks we have. Reducing drinks containing sugar is also beneficial. When sugar enters our body, it gives a short rush of energy, but then the sugar levels in our blood drop away to lower than before, sapping the body’s
energy.
We provide each child with a water bottle when they start full-time school, which is available to use throughout the day. The bottle is the child’s property to look after. It needs to go home each day to be washed and refilled.
Replacements are available for sale from the school shop, or you can provide your own, with your child’s name on.
Encouraging your child to drink plenty of plain water will
establish a good habit for life.
Learning
How we care for the brain can affect how well we learn.
By following some of the advice mentioned so far, children can perform better at school. This is known as ‘Accelerated Learning’.
People tend to have a preference for the way they learn, learning better or quicker if they use this method:
with eyes – looking at / reading information; memorising things in pictures.
with ears – listening to information;memorising sounds.
actively – by physically doing something; memorising moves / activities.
We all use all these methods at different times, but some of us are better at learning new things in our preferred way. Because of this, teachers now try to include activities in lessons which cater for each type of learning preference.
Rest
Why do we need sleep?
To re-charge our batteries for the next day – both physically and mentally. To help our memory – when you have a problem people say “Sleep on it”, because your brain goes on working during sleep. To grow – a child’s body grows most while asleep. Lack of sleep can contribute to hyperactivity and poor concentration / attention.
How much sleep?
Everyone needs a full night’s sleep because the
deepest and most beneficial sleep comes towards the end of the night. Children, though, need longer than adults:
Infants : 10 – 12 hours
Juniors : 9 – 10 hours
How can we help get a good night’s sleep?
Once at school full-time, the pattern of rest may need to change – phase out naps in the daytime to encourage a full night’s sleep go to bed in time to get a full night’s sleep To get ready for sleep: try to have a set routine to wind down to bedtime – e.g. bath, story.