Right Brain / Left Brain Basics
Right Brain / Left Brain Basics
The right brain/left brain phenomenon has shuffled in and out of the media and popular psychology literature for decades. In a nutshell, the lateralization of brain function has been the focus of extensive research, and what science is finding lends a new perspective to how we can best balance our brains, thus giving us a better chance to live a holistically more satisfying and purposeful life.
Everyone is typically more dominant in either the right or left hemisphere of the brain. Pinterest provides a great graphic and simple process to help determine whether you are left- or right-brained:
Now that you know which hemisphere of your brain likes to be the boss, let’s look at what that means.
The cranial segmentation of how you perform tasks and processes as well as how you engage in the world around you may look very familiar to you:
Let’s also look at the way the two hemispheres of the brain process sensory input.
Sight: The left brain detects reds and yellows, the right brain detects greens and blues.
Sound: In music, the left brain processes sounds that are fast and high-pitched, like the violin; the right brain processes sounds that are slow and low-pitched, like the cello.
Here at Essence, clearly the sense that we’re most interested in is the sense of smell. Smell plays a critical role in how the brain develops. Smell is connected to the creation of memories as well as emotional connections. Experts suggest that children (and adults!) be exposed to an array of scents to expand their sensory experience and to “educate” the olfactory system. This can be done by cooking, spending time in nature, and through essential oils. (Experts warn against the use of artificial fragrances as they are toxic, especially for children.)
Scents are processed in both hemispheres of the brain—the use of certain scents can help bolster brain function in each lobe of the brain.
|
LEFT BRAIN WEAK |
RIGTH BRAIN WEAK |
|
· Vanilla |
· Peppermint |
|
· Orange |
· Black pepper |
|
· Strawberry |
· Mustard |
|
· Chocolate |
· Lemon |
|
· Apple |
· Tea Tree |
|
· Grape |
· Eucalyptus |
|
· Lavender |
· Lime |
Most of the bulleted scents above are available with our Essence Nasal Diffuser ring or you can use the Create It Ring and add your own oil. Using Essence nasal rings not only helps “clear the air” by diffusing high-quality essential oils directly through the nasal passages, it helps to bolster brain function and clarity, in addition to a variety of other health benefits.
Whether you are left or right brained, increasing your awareness of and exposure to a variety of life experiences, especially those experiences through the senses, will help to develop and balance your brain. And a balanced brain is a much healthier, happier brain!
Resources:
WebMD – Left vs. Right Brain: What’s the Difference?
Left vs. Right Brain: What’s the Difference? (webmd.com)
Pinterest Image
Bright Minds Neurodevelopment Pamphlet
