Making and Keeping Brain Power Sylvia Brothers, PT Abigail Herron, SLPA Tessa Wolsiffer, MOT, OTR

PACE P = Positive A = Active C = Clear E =Energetic How do you feel? Be mindful of how you are feeling right now PACE demonstration Recognize

Brain Function PACE is one example of “making and keeping” brain power. How do we make brain power? Break breaks make brain power

Readiness to Learn There are identified brain breaks that support specific academic skills and subject areas. Brain breaks also help promote self-regulation for optimal functioning, learning, and emotional control. If we have brain power, we can make good choices and learn more easily.

BRAIN BREAK ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING AREAS   GETTING READY TO LEARN (PACE) MATH Water Calf Pump Brain Buttons Owl Cross Crawls Elephant Hook Ups Neck Rolls Gravity Glider READING – Visual Tracking Brain Buttons WRITING Cross Crawl Double Doodle Lazy 8’s Arm Activation (Eye Exercises) Lazy 8’s Alphabet 8’s READING – Comprehension Calf Pump CREATIVE WRITING Foot Flex Energy Yawn Grounder Foot Flex Calf Pump READING – Aloud Thinking Skills Neck Rolls Earth Buttons Energy Yawn Space Buttons Cross Crawl Balance Buttons Belly Breathing SPELLING Thinking Caps Owl Elephant

Brain Gym® International Brain Gym® International is committed to the principle that moving with intention leads to optimal learning. Brain Gym® movements, exercises, or activities refer to the original 26 Brain Gym movements, sometimes abbreviated as the 26. These activities recall the movements naturally done during the first years of life when learning to coordinate the eyes, ears, hands, and whole body. The twenty-six activities, along with a program for “learning through movement” were developed by educator and reading specialist Paul E. Dennison and his wife and colleague, Gail E. Dennison who say that the interdependence of movement, cognition, and applied learning is the basis of their work. Clients, teachers, and students have been reporting for over 20 years on the effectiveness of these simple activities. Even though it is not clear yet "why" these movements work so well, they often bring about dramatic improvements in areas such as: Concentration and Focus Memory Academics: reading, writing, math, test taking Physical coordination Relationships Self-responsibility Organization skills Attitude

Water

Water and Brain Energy The brain is one of the most important organs in your body to keep fueled. It is approximately 85 percent water and brain function depends on having abundant access to water. Water gives the brain the electrical energy for all brain functions, including thought and memory processes. According to Dr. Corinne Allen, founder of the Advanced Learning and Development Institute, brain cells need two times more energy than other cells in the body. Water provides this energy more effectively than any other substance. Water is also needed for the brain's production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Nerve transmission requires one-half of all the brain’s energy. When your brain is functioning on a full reserve of water, you will be able to think faster, be more focused, and experience greater clarity and creativity. Daily hydration will not only help with better thinking, it can help prevent attention deficit disorder in children and adults. The reason why it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day for optimal brain function is because your brain does not have any way to store water. When your body loses more water than you are replacing, dehydration will kick in and brain function will be affected.

Water and Brain Symptoms of Dehydration Dehydration causes your brain to shut down and not run at full speed. Some of the mental symptoms of dehydration include brain fog, afternoon fatigue, focus issues, depression, anger, emotional instability, exhaustion, headaches, sleep issues, stress, and a lack of mental clarity and acuity. Studies have shown that if you are only 1 percent dehydrated, you will likely have a 5 percent decrease in cognitive function. If your brain drops 2 percent in body water, you may suffer from fuzzy short-term memory, experience problems with focusing, and have trouble with math computations. Further studies have shown that prolonged dehydration causes brain cells to shrink in size and mass. This is most common in the elderly, many of whom tend to be chronically dehydrated for years. Dehydration is also a known factor in dementia and proper hydration may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Lou Gehrig’s disease. Water is also essential for delivering nutrients to the brain and for removing toxins. When the brain is fully hydrated, the exchange of nutrients and toxins will be more efficient—thus ensuring better concentration and mental alertness.

Water and Brain Challenges Dr. Allen has found that people with brain challenges such as Autism, Asperger’s, ADD, head injuries, anxiety attacks and depression often drink almost no water each day! The lack of water only enhances brain dysfunction. Brain inflammation is often associated with various types of brain challenges, especially injuries, and will often result in the body’s inability to detoxify harmful substances from the brain. When the body is dehydrated, the detoxification problem linked to inflammation is exacerbated.

Recommendations for Water and Brain Function Water provides essential energy to the brain, keeps the nerve signals going, delivers nutrients to the brain, and removes toxins. We need to be drinking enough water daily to keep the brain fueled and energized for optimum function. To start your day off right for optimal brain function, it is recommend drinking 12 to 16 ounces of water as soon as you wake up. Always keep a bottle of filtered water near you throughout the day, especially if you have a job that requires a lot of mental activity. Drinking water regularly will help to keep your brain fueled, oxygenated, and energized. Bottom line, if you want your brain to function well, receiving and sending signals to the rest of your body, make sure it receives the water it needs.

Figuring water needs by body weight Weight divided by 3 = number of ounces Number of ounces divided by 8 = number of glasses per day Example: 144 lbs. divided by 3 = 48 oz. 48 oz. divided by 8 = 6 glasses of water per day A 144 lb. person needs about 6 glasses of water per day

How can we help? Sylvia Brothers, PT sylviabrothers@msdlt.k12.in.us Abigail Herron, SLPA abigailherron@msdlt.k12.in.us Tessa Wolsiffer, MOT, OTR tessawolsiffer@msdlt.k12.in.us