Check Your Brain Health with a Simple Ruler Test

Did you know there’s a test you can take at home that can check if your brain is functioning properly?  And all you need is a RULER . . . and a friend.

Scientists have discovered that having decent reaction times is a key indicator that our brain is still working . . . especially as we get older.  And you can even test your brain health and reaction times from the comfort of your own home.

It’s called the “ruler-drop test.”  Here’s what you have to do:

1.  Sit in a chair, with your arm on a table so that your wrist is hanging over the edge.  Turn your wrist so your thumb and pointer finger are facing up.

2.  Have your helper pinch the very top of the ruler, where the numbers finish.  The zero should be dangling directly above your thumb.

3.  Without warning, tell your friend to drop the ruler.

4.  With just your thumb and pointer finger, try to catch the ruler as fast as possible.  Write down the measurement on your ruler where your fingers landed.

How many centimeters was it?  You can do it a few times and figure out your average reaction time.

If you catch the ruler at a distance less than 7.5 centimeters it is EXCELLENT . . .

If you catch it between 7.5 and 15.9 centimeters, that’s ABOVE AVERAGE . . .

If you catch it between 15.9 and 20.4 centimeters, that’s AVERAGE . . .

Between 20.4 and 28 is BELOW AVERAGE, and anything over 28 is POOR.

Not only will the results of this test show you how well your brain is functioning, but it can also be a window into your overall risk of death.

One study found there’s a strong relationship between reaction times and risk of death from coronary heart disease . . . stroke . . . and respiratory disease. 

(BBC)

Here’s a video of the test in action.