B ME Bites 10: Discover The Surprising Health and Brain Benefits of Using Your Non-Dominant Hand

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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to edition #10 of B ME Bites! Layering on the principles of habit science from last week, it's time to explore how small shifts, such as using your non-dominant hand, can yield big results. Get ready to discover the surprising health and brain benefits in this week's edition!

For this edition, you can choose your own adventure to proceed!:

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📺 If you prefer to watch, you can watch on YouTube:

If you prefer to read, proceed from here! 👇

Featured Topic: Discover The Surprising Health and Brain Benefits of Using Your Non-Dominant Hand

Have you ever tried using your non-dominant hand for daily tasks? It might seem awkward at first, but this small, manageable change can have a massive impact on your brain, creativity, and overall well-being. Last week, the focus was on the science of habits and how small steps lead to lasting change. This week, let’s explore how using your non-dominant hand can be your next tiny habit with huge benefits!

1. Boost Brain Power and BDNF Levels

Using your non-dominant hand is like a workout for your brain. Switching hands for routine activities stimulates neural connections and promotes brain plasticity. This enhances cognitive flexibility, making it easier to adapt to new situations and think more creatively.

Additionally, research suggests that using your non-dominant hand can increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein associated with brain health and memory function. It’s just like a muscle, if you don’t use it, you lose it. In this case, if you don’t stimulate your brain, your BDNF levels deteriorate, causing difficulty with learning new things, mood swings and depression, as well as neurogenerative diseases such as dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease.

You can start by brushing your hair or your teeth with your non-dominant hand. It might feel strange initially, but over time, your mind can become sharper and more alert, creating a sense of new mental clarity just by switching up a simple daily task.

2. Enhance Creativity and Problem-Solving

Stimulate creative potential by using your non-dominant hand. This practice can stimulate the right hemisphere of your brain, linked to creativity and intuition. Engaging this part of your brain improves problem-solving skills and encourages thinking outside the box.

Try drawing with your non-dominant hand. It might start as a fun experiment, but it can soon spark new ideas and help approach problems from a fresh perspective. It’s a great way to break out of a creative rut!

3. Improve Motor Skills, Dexterity, and Overall Health

Working with your non-dominant hand significantly enhances fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This is particularly beneficial for hobbies requiring precision, like painting, playing an instrument, or even cooking. Additionally, incorporating your non-dominant hand into daily activities can reduce the risk of overuse injuries and promote overall physical health and well-being.

Challenge yourself by cooking a meal using your non-dominant hand. It might be a bit messy at first, but it can turn into a fun and rewarding experience. Not only does it improve dexterity, but it also creates a new appreciation for the capabilities of your non-dominant hand.

How to Start

Start small. Incorporate this practice into your routine by choosing one activity, such as brushing your teeth or stirring your coffee, to do with your non-dominant hand. Consistency is key, and as comfort grows, gradually add more tasks.

The Habit Science Connection

Remember the habit formation principles from last week? Apply them here:

Trigger: Choose a specific time or activity to use your non-dominant hand.

Desire: Remind yourself of the brain-boosting and creativity-enhancing benefits.

Behaviour: Use your non-dominant hand for a chosen task.

Reward: Celebrate progress, no matter how small.

If you missed last week’s edition on habits, or you need a refresher, you can find Edition #9 here. By creating a positive habit around using your non-dominant hand, new potential can be unearthed, enjoying the process of becoming a better you every day.

Conclusion

Incorporating the use of your non-dominant hand into the daily routine is a small change that leads to significant benefits. It’s a simple yet powerful way to enhance brain function, boost creativity, improve motor skills, and promote overall health and well-being. So why not give it a try? It might be surprising how this tiny habit can transform your life.

Remember, it’s the little steps that lead to big changes. Start today, and watch yourself grow into a more dynamic, creative, and resilient version of you, one S.T.E.P.S step at a time.

Did this article inspire you to try something new and exciting? How can you use your non-dominant hand? If there are any questions or experiences you want to share, feel free to reach out. The support is here every step of the way!

Reader Spotlight

Thank you to Melissa who left a comment on YouTube after watching the Self Sabotage video that was included in Edition #6:

Finding her comment last Friday literally made my week! 👏👏🎉🎉

Weekly Challenge

Your mission for this week, if you choose to accept it, is to do the following:

You guessed it! Use your non-dominant hand to do one small task daily, such as brushing your hair, brushing your teeth, drawing, cooking, using your computer mouse, etc.

If you need some help, feel free to hit reply - let’s help you get started if you’re stuck!

B ME Bites is deliberately sent on a Friday morning (Aussie time) so that where ever you are in the world, you have the weekend to give yourself the gift of implementing a small change towards a better you. What will that small change be? Is there a change that you have been trying to make and haven’t yet succeeded? Give it another go, applying the above - you can do it!

Resource Roundup

Jim Kwik did an awesome Kwik Brain Challenge on this topic:

You can check out Jim Kwik’s best selling book Limitless on Amazon here.

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, scroll down to the Resource List section and click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

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Until next week, keep taking one S.T.E.P.S step at a time! (If you missed the issue explaining The S.T.E.P.S Formula, you can check that out here)

Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s a little Friday funny for you!

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