Thumbs Up for Smarter Fingers

This week I sneaked in a tiny exercise into almost all my classes. Nothing fancy — just wiggling fingers and making your thumb say hello to all the others.
On the surface? We revised body parts (thumb, index, pinky, palm)

Behind the scenes? We were secretly training  improving motor skills, boosting focus, calming nerves, and teaching both halves of our brain to finally talk to each other.

​So, what exactly does this exercise involve?

Below you’ll find a very basic instruction. I’d say repeating it for one minute is a balanced approach. During my workshops, I was doing it for 45 minutes — and maybe it’s only me, but I’d say one minute is fair enough. Then again, we’re all different.

• Put your hand out in front of you, palm up.
• Starting with your thumb, touch the tip of your index finger, then your middle finger, then your ring finger, and finally your pinky.
• Try it slowly at first, then a bit faster.
• Now do the same thing with your eyes closed — no looking!
• Switch to your other hand and repeat.
• For an extra challenge, try both hands at the same time.

And now, the big question – why on earth should I do such a thing?

Well, if you’re anything like me, you’d think why not? It might help, and it certainly won’t do any harm. However, I did a bit of digging, and it turns out this exercise is said to have a bunch of interesting benefits.

Benefits of Thumb-to-Finger Touch Exercise

1. Improves finger dexterity & fine motor skills

• The movement strengthens small muscles in the hand.
• Helps with handwriting, typing, playing instruments, or any task that requires precise finger control.

2. Boosts brain activity (cross-hemisphere connection)

• Each finger relates to a different area of the brain.
• Touching the thumb to each finger activates both hemispheres of the brain, improving coordination and concentration.

3. Enhances focus & memory

• Doing it without looking trains the brain to rely on proprioception (awareness of your body in space).
• That strengthens attention, short-term memory, and self-regulation.

4. Reduces stress & calms the nervous system

• Slow, mindful finger movements are used in yoga and meditation as a grounding practice.
• They can lower anxiety and help you feel more present.

5. Improves bilateral coordination

• When you do it with both hands at the same time, it challenges your brain to synchronize movements, improving multitasking and overall motor planning.

6. Can increase circulation & joint mobility

• Gentle finger work encourages blood flow.
• Useful if you spend a lot of time typing, writing, or holding a phone.