How to Maintain Brain Health
Just like your body, your brain needs attention and care to function at its best. Fortunately, improving and maintaining brain health can be easier than you think; in doing so, you can help minimize cognitive decline in the years to come and prepare for a healthy future. Check out our six tips below for ways you can work to keep your brain performing optimally:
Exercise Your Brain
One of the most obvious indicators of brain health is cognitive performance. This encompasses attention, memory, problem-solving, concentration, and reasoning. Challenge your mind by engaging in activities that put your brain to work – learn a new skill, channel your artistic side, work on a jigsaw or word puzzle, read books or magazines, or play memory-enhancing games. Exercise your brain muscles to help enhance cognitive outputs.
Master Your Emotions
The state of your emotional well-being is closely linked to your brain health. Paying attention to your mood swings, stress levels, and overall emotional resilience can help ensure you are maintaining control of your well-being. Are you able to quickly calm down in high-stress situations? Do you cultivate positive emotions, or do you always feel negative stressors? Chronic stress can have detrimental effects on the brain, so it's important to find healthy ways to manage it, such as mindfulness practices and exercise.
Pay Attention to Sleep Quality
Adequate sleep is essential for optimal brain performance. Monitor your patterns, set a sleep schedule, release stressors to easily fall and stay asleep, and strive for quality sleep. Aim to get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted shut eye each night. Poor sleep can impair cognitive function, vary your mood, and increase the risk of neurological conditions.
Feed Your Brain
Believe it or not, what you eat and drink directly impacts your brain health. Boost yourself with nutrition with a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats that are loaded with essential vitamins and nutrients that support brain function. And don’t forget to stay hydrated! Always have water nearby to make it easier to sip throughout the day.
Get Active
Regular exercise benefits the brain by improving mood, enhancing cognitive function, and reducing the risk of mental decline. Raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the brain and body with your choice of exercise. Find ways to move - walk, jog, swim, or dance – that you enjoy! You’ll be more likely to be active if you’re having fun doing it.
Engage in Social Interactions
Humans crave connection and social interaction plays a large part in keeping your brain happy and healthy. Whether it’s family visits, volunteer work, or joining like-minded groups or classes, your brain will benefit. Maintaining meaningful connections with family, friends, and community members stimulates the brain, promotes emotional well-being, and reduces the risk of cognitive decline.
Small changes make a big difference in improving and maintaining brain health. Take the time to decrease your stress, exercise your brain (and body!), eat nourishing foods, and build meaningful connections. Being proactive about your brain health today will make for a better tomorrow!
