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The brain is the control centre that governs pain, posture and performance. This means that movement, balance, coordination and muscle tone are organized by the brain. If the brain has a blurry map of a certain area of the body, it will not perform optimally. For example, pain might not always be directly related to a physical injury but rather to how the brain perceives and interprets sensory information.To improve how the brain maps the body, we can assess and train the cranial nerves with specific exercises. It’s like going to the gym for your brain and nervous system!
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There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves in the brain that are responsible for our sense of smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch, as well as motor and autonomic functions. Autonomic functions are processes in the body that regulate essential physiological activities without conscious control, such as heart rate, digestion and blood pressure.
Everyone can benefit from brain based exercises. They affect the quality of our daily living and enhance the recovery of many types of injuries and dysfunctions. Activating the cranial nerves several times a day with short specific exercises can promote neuroplasticity of the brain, leading to the formation of new neural pathways. This is especially important for people recovering from head and brain injuries like a concussion or a stroke.
Cranial nerve exercises can easily be incorporated into any workout or done on their own. It’s a fascinating process to learn about your brain and how it affects the rest of your body.