{"id":63073,"date":"2022-03-20T14:52:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T18:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=63073"},"modified":"2022-03-23T15:50:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T19:50:44","slug":"brain-rules-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/brain-rules-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Brain Rules: 12 Book Principles to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the book Brain Rules<\/em> about? What are the 12 rules Dr. John Medina describes in his book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Brain Rules<\/em> book, Medina lists his 12 rules that help fulfill three core brain functions<\/a>: solve problems, function in an unpredictable environment, and operate in near-constant motion. These rules can help you understand how brains work so you can improve your learning<\/a> and thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a brief overview of the Brain Rules<\/em> book and its principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Rule 1: Our Brains Have Evolved for Survival<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medina explains that our brains evolved in response to changes in both our physical bodies and our environments. Each of these influences led to the development of our unique human abilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we evolved to walk on two legs instead of four, our bodies could send more energy to our brains because walking on two legs is more efficient. In addition, when we adapted to environments ranging from jungles to savannahs and beyond, our brains had to prove flexible enough to respond to the different survival pressures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 2: Exercise Boosts Brain Function<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medina argues that physical exercise is an essential brain rule; books and mind exercises aren’t the only way to enhance brain power.<\/em><\/strong> Our brain function is highly influenced by whether or not we exercise, and more exercise results in more brain power. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Medina, our ability and desire to exercise are<\/strong> baked into our biology. Humans had to contend with intense environmental conditions, and the constant motion was necessary for survival. Exercise boosts cognition by increasing blood flow to the brain. When we exercise, our bodies create new blood vessels, which allow blood to circulate more efficiently. This brings more oxygen-rich blood to the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 3: We Need Sleep to Think<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just as we benefit from exercise, we benefit from regular rest: sleep. Sleep is an essential function of the brain which allows us to learn\u2014and when we don\u2019t get enough sleep, our cognitive abilities suffer. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our sleep, and the quality of that sleep, is determined by biological processes. We\u2019re wired to stay awake and go to sleep in predictable cycles. If these cycles are disrupted, we can get less sleep than we need and our cognition can suffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 4: Stress Can Hurt the Brain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fourth rule of the 12 brain rules argues that stress interferes with our brain\u2019s ability to learn because we haven\u2019t evolved to handle it over a long period of time.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stress evolved as a survival response since early humans faced several immediate dangers regularly. He argues that people have evolved to manage acute stress well, because this is the type of stress that helps us avoid imminent threats. However, he argues that we haven\u2019t evolved to handle chronic stress<\/a> well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 5: Our Brains Are Each Uniquely Wired<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arguably, the heart of the Brain Rules<\/em> book lies with Medina explaining why each brain is so different because everything is influenced by the science behind the brain. While our brains all fulfill the same basic functions, the neural structure of every brain is unique to every individual. This is why every person has an individual array of talents and skills. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neurons are the cells that carry out the brain\u2019s functions. They allow the brain to absorb information. Our brains create neural paths\u2014connections between neurons that shape our thoughts and emotions\u2014each time we\u2019re exposed to new things. Because everyone has unique, individual experiences, everyone develops a unique neural network, which means everyone develops their own, individual way of reacting to and understanding the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 6: Multitasking Doesn\u2019t Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The<\/strong> better we\u2019re able to focus on something, the better we\u2019re able to learn it and remember it.<\/strong> This is because when we pay attention to more than one thing\u2014when we multitask\u2014we divert our attention from anyone task over and over again. Each time we divert our attention and then subsequently refocus our attention, we have to reacquaint ourselves with the task\u2014we have to recall where we left off, the details, our plans for our next steps, and so on. This takes an enormous amount of brain power and results in inefficiencies. Thus, by attempting to focus on two tasks at once, you lessen your ability to complete either. Medina advises that you can be more productive<\/a> and focused, then, by completing one task at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 7: The Brain Needs to Form, Retrieve, and Forget Memories<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medina writes that we can strengthen our memories through repetition, and therefore boost our learning. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medina primarily focuses on declarative memories, or memories that you have to actively think about to retrieve. Nondeclarative memories are the opposite. (For example, remembering the names of your kindergarten classmates would be declarative memories, while remembering your first name would be a non-declarative memory.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rule 8: We Learn Best When Using Multiple Senses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For this rule, Medina contends that using more than one sense at a time improves our learning.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our brains evolved to absorb and make sense of numerous sources of information at the same time, and have developed that capacity so effectively that they actually work best<\/em> when doing so. We can see this in the fact that our brains better understand and react to different senses when using more than one: <\/p>\n\n\n\n