<center>https://myairclinic.com/app/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1_XRx94QXgw6RhL_S6RPZtQA.jpeg</center> <br/><strong>Mental wellness</strong> refers to our psychological and emotional health.

<blockquote><em>The term also encompasses the general sense of well-being in the physical, social, occupational, spiritual, financial, and environmental aspects of our lives. </em>
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It is an active lifelong process that involves making conscious and intentional choices toward living a healthy, purposeful, and fulfilling life. It enables us to realize our potential, cope with daily stresses, work productively, and contribute meaningfully to our community and society.

Wellness practices have existed for centuries and millennia in promoting health and harmony. However, we were unable to provide a “hard science” explanation for their underlying benefits until the past few decades, thanks in large part to the advent of revolutionizing research technologies in brain imaging and molecular genetics.

During the 1990’s, coined the Decade of the Brain,our understanding of the most complex structure in the universe underwent a radical paradigm shift. At the time, the scientific community was quite convinced the brain was fixed and incapable of change when we reach our adult age.

Moreover, we thought everyone was born with a fixed number of brain cells that would decline inevitably with age, without a chance to regenerate. This bleak belief implied that we were not able to change much nor significantly improve ourselves once we reach adulthood. As the saying goes, ”You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

<em>We now have substantial scientific evidence that explains how wellness habits promote our brain to change and rewire itself through a lifelong process termed</em> <strong>Neuroplasticity</strong>.

Fortunately, we were all proven wrong. We discovered stem cells actually exist in the adult brain. Furthermore, these newborn brain cells have the capacity to develop into mature functional neurons to aid in memory and learning in a remarkable process called Neurogenesis. In other words, <strong>we can add gigabytes and upgrade our brain’s operating system in our old age!</strong>

<em>We now have substantial scientific evidence that explains how wellness habits promote our brain to change and rewire itself through a lifelong process termed Neuroplasticity</em>. The strengthening and integration of the neural connections in the higher level brain regions, namely the prefrontal cortex (PFC), are fundamental in the benefits of wellness practices.

In gaining a deeper understanding of neuroplasticity and its practical applications, we can better harness its immeasurable potential, empowering ourselves and each other toward meaningful growth and positive change. We will ensure that we not only survive in our fast-changing modern day world, but learn to thrive both individually and collectively in a shifting landscape of unpredictability and uncertainty. With the awareness, knowledge, and practice of self-directed neuroplasticity, we can achieve mental and overall wellness.

<blockquote><em>Neuroplasticity refers to our brain’s intrinsic and dynamic ability to continuously alter its structure and function throughout our lifetime.</em>
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<em><strong>Neuroplasticity</strong></em> simply means change in the nervous system. It refers to our brain’s intrinsic and dynamic ability to continuously alter its structure and function throughout our lifetime. Neural changes occur on multiple levels, ranging from the microscopic to the observable and behavioral. It happens on different time scales, spanning mere milliseconds to years and decades.

Across our lifespan, age may be the most important factor in determining our brain’s capacity for change.

Brain plasticity can be positive, adaptive, and favorable or negative, dysfunctional, and undesirable. Positive neural changes are reflected in improved capabilities and performance as seen in the acquisition of knowledge or skill. On the other hand, negative plasticity is manifested as a decline or loss of functional ability, occurring in normal aging, brain injury, and strokes. Bad habits, drug addiction, and chronic pain are examples of unwanted maladaptive plasticity.

Time is of the essence in neuroplasticity. Across our lifespan, age may be the most important factor in determining our brain’s capacity for change. Neuroplasticity is strongest during our first five years of life.

In this early critical period of activity-dependent plasticity, neural connections are formed at an immensely rapid pace. This window of heightened plasticity provides us with the invaluable ability to learn with enormous ease. We can acquire new skills through mere observation, immersion, and interactions in our social environment.

In this critical period, we need to receive basic social experiences and multi-sensory stimulation, or we may risk becoming incapable of acquiring the more advanced skills and abilities later in life.

<em>In conclusion, our brain grows and changes at a rate previously thought impossible.</em> Old pathways are rewired and new memories are formed. <strong>This is why we must develop self-preserving habits and positive mental models.</strong> Think like you want to be. Act like you want to be and your brain will take charge.

Thanks for reading!

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