Some very
interesting information about ways to exercise your brain is found in the book,
How God Changes Your Brain, Breakthrough
Finding from a Leading Neuroscientist, by Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark
Robert Waldman. One fact that caught
my attention is, that numerous neurochemicals are involved in yawning, including
dopamine. Dopamine activates oxytocin production in the brain, which improves
many things, such as relationship bonding between individuals. Even when you
fake it, yawning affects so many things. Experiment and you'll see after faking
a yawn eight to twelve times you begin to have a real yawn. The authors give us
12 Essential Reasons to Yawn.
1.
Stimulates alertness and concentration
2.
Optimizes brain activity and metabolism
3.
Improves cognitive function
4.
Increases memory recall
5.
Enhances consciousness and introspection
6.
Lowers stress
7.
Relaxes every part of your body
8.
Improves voluntary muscle control
9.
Enhances athletic skills
10.
Fine-tunes your sense of time
11.
Increases empathy and social awareness
12.
Enhances pleasure and sensuality
Yawning is
a good habit for us all to cultivate. Happy yawning!
Welcome to the website of the Foundation for a Better Life. The values we live by are worth more when we #PassItOn