\u201cThe other one I like is the ma-ta-sa-ba, where you put your hands in front of you, and then you get your thumb and you rub your pinky and say ma, ma, ma, ma, ma about 10 times. Then you do your ring finger and say ta, ta, ta, ta. And then you go to your middle finger, sa, sa, sa, and then you go to the index finger and say ba, ba, ba.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow why do I do this? Because there\u2019s actually research that shows this kind of exercise improves brain health. So it\u2019s not like hokey-pokey stuff. As a neurologist who\u2019s reviewed the literature, I know what\u2019s good for me and what\u2019s questionable. And so I know that slow breathing and what I just told you are really powerful techniques for brain health. And I use it myself. I wouldn\u2019t use other things.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t obsess over a good night\u2019s sleep<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you wake up in the middle of the night<\/a>, you shouldn\u2019t toss and turn, toss and turn, toss and turn. If you\u2019re not sleeping, you\u2019re not sleeping. Just get up, get a book, and just read the book. And don\u2019t worry about the next day, life will go on. It\u2019s not OK if you can\u2019t sleep<\/a> every night, but it\u2019s OK if you miss an occasional night of sleep<\/a> or you sleep five hours or six hours instead of seven to eight hours. A lot of people make the mistake of just getting frustrated that they can\u2019t fall asleep and they keep tossing and turning and not sleeping and keep looking at the clock. It\u2019s 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:15, 2:35, 3:00. Don\u2019t do that.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can\u2019t sleep, get up and just do breathing exercises. The breathing exercises really can calm the mind and help you fall asleep. And if you are worrying about things, if you\u2019re woken up in the middle of the night because you\u2019re worried about the project that you haven\u2019t finished, then just get up and make a list of things to do. And if you really are concerned, just go do it. I mean, you shouldn\u2019t miss the night of sleep because of a deadline, but if you\u2019re not sleeping, you might as well just go work.<\/p>\n