Your Brain Can Change: The Remarkable Power of Neuroplasticity
What if I told you that your brain isn't quite the same today as it was yesterday?
That might sound strange, but it's true.
Your brain is constantly changing in response to what you experience, what you practise, how you move and how you interact with the world around you.
This remarkable ability is called neuroplasticity.
And it's one of the reasons we can continue learning, adapting and developing throughout our entire lives.
Your Brain Is Not "Finished"
We sometimes imagine the brain as something that develops during childhood and then simply stays the same.
But that's not how the nervous system works.
Your brain is continually adapting.
When you learn a new skill, practise a movement, navigate somewhere unfamiliar or challenge yourself with something you've never done before, your nervous system responds by changing the way different areas of the brain communicate and work together.
Some connections become stronger.
New patterns are developed.
Other connections that are used less may become weaker.
This ability to change in response to experience is what we call neuroplasticity.
And it doesn't stop when you become an adult.
Every Experience Gives Your Brain Information
Your brain doesn't experience the world in isolation.
It is in constant communication with your body.
Every time you move, your brain receives information about:
where your body is in space
how your joints are moving
how much force you're using
what your muscles are doing
what you can see, hear, touch and feel
This sensory information helps your brain create an ongoing picture of the world—and of your own body within it.
Movement is therefore much more than a way of keeping your muscles strong.
Movement is information for the brain.
This is one of the reasons we've spent so much time throughout this year's Healthy Nervous System Series talking about movement.
Learning Doesn't Have to Mean Studying
When we hear the word "learning", we often think about books, classrooms and exams.
But your brain learns through everyday experiences.
Learning to play an instrument.
Trying a new recipe.
Taking a different route to work.
Learning a new language.
Gardening.
Dancing.
Playing a new sport.
Even learning how to use a new piece of technology!
Each of these experiences asks your nervous system to process something new.
And when something is new, your brain has to pay attention.
That's a wonderful workout for the nervous system.
Challenge Your Brain—But Don't Overwhelm It
There is an important distinction between challenge and overload.
Your brain benefits from being challenged.
But it also needs time to recover.
Think about learning a new movement.
At first, it may feel awkward.
You have to concentrate.
You make mistakes.
Then, with repetition, it becomes easier.
Eventually you may be able to do it almost automatically.
That's your nervous system adapting.
The same principle applies to many forms of learning.
Challenge + repetition + recovery = adaptation.
Movement and Brain Health
Physical activity is one of the most powerful ways we can support brain health throughout life.
Regular movement supports cardiovascular health, sleep, mood and physical function—and these are all important parts of maintaining a healthy brain.
It doesn't have to mean spending hours in a gym.
Walking.
Gardening.
Cycling.
Swimming.
Dancing.
Playing with your children.
Getting outside.
The best movement is often the movement you enjoy enough to keep doing.
And when movement involves coordination, balance, learning or interaction with your environment, you're giving your brain even more information to process.
Don't Underestimate Balance
Balance is a wonderful example of the brain–body relationship.
Standing on one leg might look like a simple physical exercise.
But your brain is actually processing information from your eyes, inner ear, muscles, joints and skin, then coordinating an appropriate response.
It's an extraordinary process.
As we age, maintaining movement, strength, coordination and balance becomes increasingly important.
So don't wait until balance becomes a problem before you start challenging your nervous system.
Keep moving.
Keep exploring.
Keep learning.
Your Brain Loves Novelty
One of the simplest ways to encourage your brain to adapt is to occasionally do something differently.
Take a new walking route.
Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.
Learn a new recipe.
Try a new movement class.
Read about a subject you've never explored.
Have a conversation with someone who sees the world differently.
These aren't magic tricks for preventing neurological disease.
They're simply opportunities to give your brain new experiences.
And your brain is designed to learn from experience.
Brain Health Is a Lifelong Investment
We often start thinking seriously about brain health when we get older.
But the foundation is being built throughout your entire life.
The habits you develop in your twenties influence your thirties.
Your thirties influence your forties.
And so on.
That doesn't mean you need to live a perfect lifestyle.
It means that small, consistent choices matter.
Move your body.
Get enough sleep.
Eat nourishing food.
Stay socially connected.
Manage stress.
Keep learning.
Protect your head from injury.
Look after your cardiovascular health.
And give your nervous system opportunities to experience something new.
Where Does Chiropractic Fit In?
The brain and body are constantly communicating.
This communication is particularly important when we move.
Your nervous system receives sensory information from muscles, joints and other tissues and uses that information to coordinate movement and maintain balance.
This is one of the reasons the relationship between the spine and the nervous system is so interesting.
In my practice, I take this brain–body communication seriously.
Torque Release Technique (TRT) is a gentle, neurologically focused approach that uses specific adjustments to provide sensory input to the nervous system.
The intention isn't to "fix" the brain or to claim that chiropractic can prevent neurological disease.
Rather, the focus is on supporting healthy communication between the brain and body as part of an overall approach to nervous-system health.
🌿 This Month's Brain Health Challenge
Give your brain something new.
Choose one thing you've never done before and spend 10–15 minutes learning or practising it.
It could be:
a new recipe
a new language
a new movement
a musical skill
a new walking route
a new hobby
Don't worry about being good at it.
Being a beginner is the point.
Your brain doesn't need you to be perfect.
It needs opportunities to learn.
A Final Thought
Your brain isn't a finished product.
It is a living, changing part of you that responds to your experiences throughout your life.
Every time you move, learn, explore, practise and connect, you're giving your nervous system information.
So perhaps one of the best things you can do for your brain is surprisingly simple:
Stay curious.
Keep moving.
Keep learning.
Keep experiencing the world.
Your brain is listening.
Continue Your Healthy Nervous System Journey
You may also enjoy:
References
World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. 2020.
World Health Organization. Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia: WHO Guidelines. 2019.
Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM, et al. Principles of Neural Science. McGraw-Hill.
Pascual-Leone A, Amedi A, Fregni F, Merabet LB. The plastic human brain cortex. Annual Review of Neuroscience. 2005;28:377–401.
Proske U, Gandevia SC. The proprioceptive senses: their roles in signalling body shape, body position and movement, and muscle force. Physiological Reviews. 2012;92(4):1651–1697.
Erickson KI, Voss MW, Prakash RS, et al. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2011;108(7):3017–3022.
Haavik H. The Reality Check: A Quest to Understand Chiropractic from the Inside Out.
