Boost your Brain Health with these 7 Ways

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Our brain is the most important organ in our body, which controls almost everything we do and feel. However, we may not realize the importance of this master control center until it has problems or malfunctions. Thankfully, there are lots of natural ways that you can use to keep your brain healthy and boost its functions as you age or as it gets damaged through disease or injury. Read on to find out how to boost your brain health with these 7 ways.

 

1)      Exercise more

Exercising three to five times a week is a good way to keep your brain healthy. It releases endorphins, making you happier and more energized. Also, regular exercise has been shown to increase blood flow in key areas of the brain, potentially stimulating new connections between neurons. In some cases, an active lifestyle may even help reverse age-related cognitive decline.  What’s more, exercise can be fun! You don’t have to go for a run or hit the gym—just get out there and move around as much as possible. If you like dancing or hiking, do it! Or try something new like rock climbing or yoga. There are many ways to enjoy being physically active without joining a team or paying for a class. Just make sure that whatever activity you choose is something that will engage your mind and body for at least 30 minutes at a time.

 

2)      Meditate

Several studies have looked at how meditation can increase focus and attention, improve memory, boost creativity, and even slow down mental aging. Researchers have found that people who practice daily mindfulness meditation show more activity in their brain’s left prefrontal cortex (which is linked to positive emotions) than those who just breathe normally. Why? Well, you may have heard that we only use 10 percent of our brains; well, as it turns out, meditation also makes you smarter. Studies from Harvard University show that regular meditators perform better on complex mental tasks like completing word puzzles compared to non-meditators—and they also generate a third more cognitive activity (yes!

 

3)      Sleep better

Getting enough shut-eye is just as important for brain health as it is for overall physical health. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can seriously impair cognition and make it harder to process information. The connection between sleep and brain function has also been linked to stress, so if you’re stressed out about work or other responsibilities, it could also be messing with your mental abilities. To improve brain health, experts recommend setting a sleep schedule at night, establishing a consistent bedtime routine (e.g., reading a book), and keeping your bedroom cool. Also, try not to look at screens before bedtime—the light from smartphones and computers might prevent you from falling asleep easily.

The Mayo Clinic suggests following a regular schedule when going to bed each night: go to bed around the same time every night, get up around the same time every morning and avoid napping during daylight hours. While some people may think napping is good for their brain, it actually isn’t—it can actually cause grogginess when you wake up in addition to disrupting your body's internal clock and circadian rhythm. The key is consistency: set aside one specific time each day where you’ll stop working so that your body will start associating work with stopping rather than starting an activity.

 

4)      Quit smoking

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your brain. Smoking cigarettes damages blood vessels, which means less oxygen and fewer nutrients reach brain cells. And if that’s not bad enough, smoking also sets off a chain reaction that leads to chronic inflammation, which worsens cognitive decline over time. If you don’t already smoke, it’s never too late to quit! If you need help kicking nicotine, try hypnosis or acupuncture—both have been shown to boost cravings and cut down on smoking-related stress. Your cells will thank you later! This may seem like an obvious point, but making sure you get enough sleep each night is absolutely essential to boosting brain health.

 

5)      Limit caffeine intake

Too much caffeine increases blood pressure and stress levels. That can make it hard to sleep, which leads to a whole chain of problems. The more often you miss out on sleep, the more likely you are to develop depression and anxiety. And when you feel depressed or anxious, it can be difficult to even get out of bed in the morning. Instead of reaching for coffee first thing in the morning, try tea instead. Green tea has about half as much caffeine as black tea and coffee, so it’s a better choice if you want a boost in brainpower without all of those side effects. Tea also has plenty of antioxidants that help fight off free radicals that can damage brain cells and cause neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.

 

6)      Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for many bodily functions, including brain function. They may help boost communication between neurons and keep blood vessels healthy, making them a good choice for brain health. Vitamin B12 is also essential for maintaining healthy levels of neurotransmitters and keeping your energy up—another important component to maintaining proper cognitive function. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, as well as chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Eating foods rich in vitamin B12 regularly can help you feel more energized while helping to optimize memory and brain performance over time. Vitamin B12 is commonly found in fish and meat products like shellfish, organ meats, and beefsteak.

 

7)      Consider taking supplements such as ginkgo Biloba and alpha-lipoic acid

People who take ginkgo Biloba and alpha-lipoic acid report feeling sharper and experiencing improvements in their memory. In one study, participants over age 50 who took a daily dose of each showed significant improvements in the verbal recall. Another study demonstrated that elderly people who took alpha-lipoic acid scored higher on tests designed to measure learning, memory, and information processing after taking it for just 16 weeks. A third trial found that patients suffering from tinnitus experienced significant relief after taking doses of 1,200 milligrams a day for six months.

Boost your Brain Health with these 7 Ways