(单词翻译:单击)
In order to stay sharp, it is important that you exercise your brain. The less we use our minds, the duller they become. There is a lot of emphasis these days on staying physically healthy, but we should also be concerned for our mental well-being. Our brains continue to expand and adapt to the stimuli they receive throughout our lives. The more we take care of our brains, the better thinkers we become. Here are twenty ways that you can develop a training regimen for your brain!
想要保持敏锐，最重要的是要锻炼你的大脑。我们思考得越少，它就会变得越迟钝。如今我们越来越注重保持生理健康，但我们也应该关注我们的精神健康。在一生中，我们的大脑都在持续扩张和适应受到的刺激。我们更关心我们的大脑，我们会变得更有智慧。这里有20个训练大脑的方案。
1. Read a good book.
Reading a book stimulates the imagination. Your brain can’t keep from drawing mental pictures when you read. Reading gets your mind off its butt and to work. I love to let a book carry me away. I always have a book that I’m reading and sometimes I have 3 or 4! I get most of my books from the library to avoid the cost of buying each one. This also allows me to try a wide variety of books without risk.
1. 读一本好书。
读书会激发想象力。当你读书时，你的大脑不能持续在反映画面。读书让你的头脑开始工作。我喜欢让书本带着我走。我总是带着一本书，有时甚至三至四本书在读！大部分书是从图书馆里借来的，这样就不用花钱买每一本书了。这也使我能够毫无风险地广泛阅读各种书籍。
2. Big Brain Academy.
Video games have a bad reputation for causing brain rot, but there are some that will actually help you strengthen your mind. I like Big Brain Academy for the Wii. It is a collection of brain teasers that tests your mental acuity. The tests are entertaining and addicting. You can even compete with others which makes for some great family fun.
2. 大脑学院。
视频游戏不好的一面是让脑袋生锈，但实际上有些也会帮助你增强思维。我喜欢大脑学院游戏(Big Brain Academy for the Wii) 。这是一款用头脑玩笑测试头脑敏锐性的合集。这些测试都非常有趣。你甚至可以和别人进行比赛，所以也可以让全家人一起来玩。
3. Practice meditation.
Don't worry, I'm not going off the new age deep-end here. There are a lot of different forms of meditation. To me, in its most simple form, meditation is about spending a little time alone to relax and center your thoughts. It is amazingly therapeutic. If you haven’t tried meditation before, I would highly recommend reading this guide to meditation.
3. 练习冥想。
不要担心，我不是要在这里离开新时代的最深端。冥想的方式有很多种。对我而言，最简单的形式，冥想是花一点时间独处达到放松和集中思考的方式。它是神奇的治疗。
4. Get plenty of rest.
A lack of sleep can interfere with your ability to assimilate new information. This means those all-nighters you pulled back in college were much less effective than you thought. Your brain needs rest to operate at its peak performance. This may be why things always seem clearer and brighter after a good night's sleep.
4. 获得大量的休息。
缺少睡眠能够影响你吸收新信息的能力。这意味着大学里通宵达旦地补习的效率比你想象的要低得多。你的大脑需要休息，使工作在其最佳效能。这可能是为什么事情总是在睡了好觉后变得更加清晰明朗。
5. Exercise regularly.
You didn't think you were going to get away without a little time on the treadmill did you? Cardiovascular exercise improves blood flow to the brain which improves brain functioning. One study found that physical exercise actually helped to increase the volume of the brain. So, if you want a bigger, better brain, then get to exercising!
5. 规律地锻炼。
你难道想没一会就从跑步机上下来吗？心血管运动通过改善血液到大脑的流动从而改善大脑功能。一份研究发现体育锻炼实际上帮助扩大大脑的体积。所以，如果你想要一个更大、更好的大脑，那么就去运动吧！
6. Eat a good breakfast.
It is not a myth. Eating a good breakfast does get you off to a better start. You should eat a breakfast high in protein and good carbohydrates. A couple of pieces of whole-grain toast with peanut butter will fit the bill. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. Nuts, milk, and fresh fruit are also great ways to feed your brain.
6. 吃一顿好早餐。
这并不是不切实际的。吃一顿好早餐确实令你有个更好的开始。你应该吃高蛋白和优质碳水化合物的的早餐。两片夹着花生牛油的全麦吐司就符合这一条了。鸡蛋同样是蛋白质的好来源。坚果、牛奶和新鲜水果都能为大脑提供良好的营养。
7. Think positive thoughts.
Encourage yourself. I am convinced that positive thinking increases the effectiveness of the brain and helps to avoid things like depression. I like to say that your brain works much like a computer, garbage-in, garbage-out. Find positive, encouraging people to hang around, read material that jazzes you up, do whatever it is that makes you feel good about yourself. These things will also help you be more mentally productive.
7. 积极地思考。
鼓励自己。我相信积极思考会提供大脑效能和帮助避免失望。我想说你的大脑就像电脑一样，把垃圾丢进来、又丢出去。发现积极，鼓励人们闲逛、能够使你地快乐阅读材料，做所有能够使你感觉良好的事情。这些事情将会帮助你的精神变得更有生产力。
8. Be a continual learner.
Never stop being curious about your world. Seek out new experiences, skills, and knowledge. Think of something that you've always wanted to learn to do and then get started. A now famous study, showed that certain areas of the brains of London cab drivers were more developed compared to the average citizen. This was due to their need to learn how to navigate the maze of downtown streets. We can use this technique of challenging our brains to improve our abilities.
8. 不断地学习。
不要停止怀疑你的世界。寻找新的体验、技能和知识。想写你总是想学着去做的事并且开始去做。一份非常著名的研究表明伦敦出租车司机大脑的确定领域比一般的市民得到更大的开发。这是由于他们需要学习懂得如何在迷宫般的城市街道上导航。我们能够运用此项挑战我们大脑的技术来增进我们的能力。
9. Lay off the alcohol.
Alcohol is of course a depressant. It slows down mental functions. The effects of alcohol on a person's cognitive ability is well-documented. If you need peak mental performance, then stop drinking alcohol. In addition to its obvious effects, it also decreases the restfulness of one's sleep which, as we have already discussed, impedes your ability to think clearly.
9. 戒酒。
酒精是抑郁的原因。它降低精神功能。酒能乱性是有充分证据的。如果你想要有顶尖的精神表现，那么停止喝酒吧。除了一些明显的影响之外，它也减弱人的睡眠，这是我们已经讨论过的，阻碍你清晰思考的能力。
10. Get romantic (especially if you're a woman).
Studies have shown that there may be a link between regular sex and improved brain performance in women. Love-making increases a woman's estrogen levels and higher estrogen levels are tied to better mental performance. Of course, the mental benefits probably do not outweigh the risks, unless you are in a faithful, monogamous relationship.
10. 拥有浪漫（特别是女性）。
研究表明定期性生活和大脑活动提高对女性或许有着直接联系。性影响着女性荷尔蒙分泌。而出于较高水平的荷尔蒙又能提高精神活动。当然，精神方面的愉悦并不是没有一丝风险，除非你所在的关系式一段忠诚的一夫一妻关系。
