Are you a right- or left-brainer? According to science, knowing the answer to that question can have an impact on preventing dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease! I would consider myself left-brain dominant, but I guess it can’t hurt to see the “other side” of things when it comes to brain function. So how do you know which side of your brain dominates? And how can you take steps to start using the other half? Keep reading for all the answers.

Once you do determine which side of the brain you use the most, you may be surprised to learn that you can indeed tap into the “other side.”  And, using both sides of your brain can actually help prevent or slow down brain shrinkage, dementia and Alzheimer’s.

So, how can you tell which part of your brain is used the most?  Listed below are the characteristics of the left and right brain functions.  Evaluate yourself and see where you fit in on the brain dominance area.

Left Brain Functions

• More logical
• Detail oriented
• Facts rule
• Words and language
• Present and past
• Math and science
• Can comprehend
• Knowing
• Acknowledges
• Order/pattern perception
• Knows object name
• Reality based
• Forms strategies
• Practical
• Safe

Right Brain Functions

• Uses feeling
• Big picture oriented
• Imagination rules
• Symbols and images
• Present and future
• Philosophy and religion
• Cannot comprehend easily
• Believes
• Appreciates
• Spatial perception
• Knows object function
• Fantasy based
• Presents possibilities
• Impetuous
• Risk taking

   
Determining which side of your brain is more dominant and which side lies more dormant is the first step in understanding the how the brain really works and how you can have some control on how your brain processes things. 

After determining what side of the brain is dominant, you can then take simple steps to wake up your dormant side.  For example, if you are a detail oriented person (falls on the left side of the brain), try looking at the big picture more often, exercising the right side of the brain.  If you are more comfortable with symbols and images, (right side) try paying more attention to words and language (like reading the Dictionary or doing crossword puzzles, for example) which will exercise the left side of the brain. 

Waking up those sleeping parts of the brain can be the beginning of an awesome adventure and help to stimulate those parts that “not only prevent disease, but help us to live up to our full potential as human beings.”

According to Einstein, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."  This is coming from a left brain dominant scientist.

Imagine the possibilities you can experience simply by stimulating the other side of your brain. Not only will you help keep your noggin healthy, but you might learn something new about yourself in the process. OK right brain . . . time to wake up!