How to keep your mind sharp

YOU are in the midst of your college education, well on the way to being a working adult, yet you find yourself struggling when it comes to planning, motivation and even managing your temper.

It is not your fault. It is the way your brain is or is not working.

In the past, we used to think that people matured at the age of 18. However, thanks to science, we now know that the human brain does not fully develop until the age of 24 or sometimes even later.

This is important for students because the pre-frontal cortex – the bit that lies just behind the forehead – is heavily involved in impulse control, complex planning, attention and decision-making.

Impulse control is important because it means young adults are not as good at self-discipline as older adults. In terms of decision-making, this part is where organised thinking, risk assessment and logical thinking comes into play. You might have trouble arranging facts, taking risk into consideration and making decisions based on fact rather than emotion.

Scientists suggest training the brain by making sure you stay physically healthy. This means eating properly, getting plenty of sleep and staying off drugs. Also, you can boost your overall development by challenging yourself cognitively with a rich learning environment.