What did you say for learning?

Learning Norepinephrine (alertness, concentration) Dopamine (Reward) In addition: Endorphins Cortisol decreased Adrenaline (some)

When can learning feel good? When we are actively learning, we organize, shape, and strengthen our brains. Learning is in your control – it is YOUR brain.

When can learning feel bad? For so many people, school and learning states are negative states because of their experience with frustration, boredom, anxiety or other negative factors. YOU ARE NOT LEARNING WHEN YOU FEEL THIS WAY!

What can I do to be a better learner? Make it relevant or important to you. Believe something is important. If we try to learn without feeling interested, very little of that information will be saved in our memories. When they are not interested, people learn 10 percent or less of what they're taught. But when we are interested, we remember more than 90 percent!

No two brains look exactly alike “As we learn, our brains adapt to reflect the new information we feed them. Our life experiences literally shape our brains as we age. And, since no two people have the same kinds of experiences and learning, no two brains look exactly alike.” es_the_brain.html

Sleep helps… Sleep is now recognized as being critical for learning and memory “But we haven’t really known why that is. One theory is that sleep strengthens synapses…”

Sleep Cycle A typical sleep cycle involves 10 to 20 minutes of drowsiness and very light sleep, followed by an hour or so of very deep sleep, followed by REM period, when dreaming occurs. Over the course of a night, the cycle repeats, with the length of deep sleep decreasing and REM sleep increasing.

How does the brain look when I am asleep?

What did you say for chocolate?

Chocolate Serotonin (decreases obsessive thought) Dopamine (reward)

What does chocolate do? Balances low levels of the neurotransmitters involved in the regulation of mood, food intake, and compulsive behaviors phentermine-year-2002/37176-how-chocolate- effects-our-brain-chemistry.htmlhttp:// phentermine-year-2002/37176-how-chocolate- effects-our-brain-chemistry.html

What did you say for music?

Music Serotonin (“happiness hormone”) Dopamine (reward)

How does music make us feel? Musical vibration stimulates a cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters which can excite us, calm us, cheer us up or make us sad.

What does music do the the brain? The findings show how the brain reacts to musical stimulus. Areas of the brain which process language, movement, emotion and memory all ‘light up’ in response to music’s melody, harmony, rhythm, interval and pitch. the-brain.html

Music for the Brain Plato once said that "music is a more potent instrument than any other for education." Now scientists know why. Music, they believe, trains the brain for higher forms of thinking.“ Your Child's Brain Newsweek, February 19, 1996 Music lessons have a positive effect on achievement. Science Daily Feb. 11, 2009

Music for the Brain "It is a known fact that some music can be used to relax you. Conscious breathing to 60 beats per minute music, such as Baroque, helps to keep you in your relaxed system for learning. The 60 beats per minute are important because that is the rate your heart beats when relaxed.”

Interesting… Even sounds you can't hear can have a powerful affect on your nervous system. One example is the "infrasound" in the roar of a tiger. A tiger's intimidating roar has the power to paralyze animals. Even experienced human trainers are stunned.

What did you say for laughter?

Laughter All of them! Also: Endorphins Glutamate

What does laughter do to the brain? “You're changing your brain chemistry, which causes the brain to produce a variety of chemicals that naturally make you feel better. It also stops producing the chemicals that make you feel anxious and tense."

What else does laughter do? Laughing also boosts circulation Exercises abdominal muscles Exercises the muscles of your face Enhancing the flexibility of various joints throughout your body. It's a bit of physical exercise and healthful body movement as well.

How does laughing gas work? Laughing gas is mostly made up of a compound called nitrous oxide (N2O). It is thought that N2O blocks a particular type of receptor in the brain.

What did you say for hugs?

Hugs Dopamine (reward) Some serotonin Also: Endorphins

What do we need hugs for? The weight on the body calms the central nervous system, which then causes the happy and calming chemicals to be released in the brain.

What did you say for stress?

Stress Reduced serotonin Increased Epinephrine (Adrenaline) Also: Increased Cortisol

What does stress do to our brain? Brain cells die. Dendrites shrivel with temporary loss of memory function. Upsets the chemical balance in our brain and can cause depression and cause our brain’s positive emotional center to shrink and become inactive. laughter-benefits.htm

Can opinions be changed? Researchers found that the reasoning areas of the brain virtually shut down when participants were confronted with information disagreeing with that person’s point of view. The emotion circuits of the brain lit up happily when information agreeing with that person’s point of view was viewed. Researchers also showed that reading information that goes against your point of view can make you all the more convinced you are right. So there is a neurological basis for the observation that once our minds are made up, it is hard to change them. From Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me ). Copyright 2007 by Carol Travis and Elliot Aronson. Published by Harcourt Inc.