We can challenge the sensory motor vestibular system through our yoga practise, take 30 minutes out of your day to join me and lets get moving. Life is dynamic, children move in lots of different dimensions in relation to gravity - climbing, falling, running, jumping, swinging. As we age we get more liner or regular about movement we do the same exercise patterns climb the same stairs, we forget how important it is to regularly challenge ourselves both physically and mentally and that this reduction in movement could be the reason why the plasticity in the brain may be reduced. Our vestibular system (eyes and ears) is the way to access neuro-plasticity. The brain knows the position of your body relative to the orientation to gravity depending on whether your head is engaging more in pitch (nodding), yaw (shake head saying no) or roll (ear to shoulder) or combination of the 3 planes of movement. Our ears hear and take in sound perception and balance via vestibular control . We have semi circular canals in our inner ears and inside these are little tubes where calcium balls roll back and forward as we move our head which send signals to rest of body how to shift our body in respect to gravity. We know the benefit of cardio and resistance training will train our nerves and muscles, however exercise will maintain but not improve plasticity unless you do specify things. A certain level of automatic arousal is needed to open up plasticity so we need to include balance training and consistency learn new things. When our brain senses an unstable position it sends a signal to the cerebellum to release brain chemicals which is basically saying " you need to do something before you risk injury”. So when practising balancing find safe place to create this learning experience, stay dedicated to the task and dont be frighted to make errors as you learn as this will help increase the production of neuro-chemicals into the brain. If theres a mismatch in the motor sensory vestibular feedback like when riding a stationary bike where you have visual feed back but you don't have a fear of falling off , neuro-chemicals like dopamine won’t be released.