Good health isn’t limited to toned muscles, a flat stomach, and stronger bones; it also includes a healthy brain. So, you need to exercise your brain too just like you work out the rest of your body.
The internet is filled with information on how to improve brain health. But most of them lack credibility and may not offer the benefits they tend to promise. In this article, we’ve listed the 10 best ways you can improve your brain health. These are research-backed and will lead to a healthier brain.
- Stop Smoking (Forever)
Are you smoking regularly and looking for the easiest way to improve your brain health? Then quit smoking at the earliest.
The Whitehall II cohort study has shown that people who don’t smoke have a healthier brain than people who do. And as you smoke, things get detrimental as you age.
For example, people who smoke two packets of cigars a day are twice at risk of developing dementia when they get older. Even occasional smokers can also develop dementia in their old age.
You’ll notice you start forgetting things and have problems recalling important information. This can affect your personal and professional life.
- Have Adequate Sleep
Sleep has a profound effect on your brain. Unlike your body, your brain doesn’t rest when you go to sleep. It’s constantly at work. Psychologists say that the brain processes all the information that you’ve consumed in the day and tries to sense it.
The dreams that you see are a result of the interpretation of the brain. When you wake up, you’d notice that you’re better able to grasp a concept you read yesterday.
When you sleep, the brain also creates space for more learning by discarding irrelevant information. So it’s important to sleep at least 7 hours a day.
- Follow a Healthy Diet
There are certain foods that are excellent for brain health. These are colloquially termed as brain foods. The list includes the following:
- Blueberries
- Eggs
- Fatty fish
- Nuts
- Leafy green vegetables
- Avocado
- Fruits
- Coffee and tea
Generally, you should eat foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids. A better, well-balanced diet will lead to a better brain.
- Exercise Regularly
Exercising doesn’t only help your body, but also aids your brain. When you exercise, blood circulation increases. More blood is cycled in and out of your brain. Thus, it is exposed to more oxygen and nutrients. Exercises also stimulate the release of proteins in the brain that are beneficial for the brain cells.
Another benefit of exercising is it improves neuroplasticity. It is the brain’s ability to adapt to different circumstances and rewire the neural network as we age. Better neuroplasticity means better brain function and memory.
20 minutes of HIIT or 25 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise at a moderate pace have the best impact.
- Go for Hiking or Camping
Hiking is another activity that improves your brain. When you’re out in the wilds, it exposes you to new, different things. You’re forced to figure out directions and remember the signs. So you have to use your spatial navigation and attention, both of which improve your brain.
Furthermore, you’ll be surrounded by nature. Trees, rivers, woods, animals are all known to soothe your brain. If hiking is too demanding for you, try camping instead.
- Meditate
The benefit of meditation on brain health is unhidden. Especially for depressed and stressed-out people, meditation can be life-altering.
People who meditate are more aware of their emotions, body, and their surroundings. They can access their inner faculty, which is the mind, intellect, ego, and Chitta (storehouse of memories and impressions). By controlling it, you essentially control your life.
A study led by Sala Horowitz found that meditation also helps in improved memory and efficiency.
Meditation doesn’t have to be hard either. You can meditate while you’re walking, in the office, or when going to sleep.
- Play Brain-Simulating Games
Certain games stimulate the brain more than your body. While playing, you exercise your brain which is beneficial for its health. Sudoku, the popular number-matching game, is excellent for brain health. It forces your brain to focus, remember, and make calculations all at the same time. Thus, it aids brain plasticity. Crossword, chess, and nonogram games offer similar benefits too.
- Think Positive and Reduce Stress
In uncertain or difficult times, it’s easy to get stressed out. But stress is a chain reaction that – starting from the brain – affects the rest of the body through the nervous system. Chronic stress is even more problematic that has long-term side effects.
So to improve brain health, it’s important to think positive and weed out the negative thoughts.
- Surround Yourself with Good People
Your social life does impact your brain health. If you surround yourself with like-minded, positive people, they’re going to help you lead a better life. But people with a bad attitude are going to create a negative environment around you. So if you’re in a bad relationship or hanging out with problematic friends, it’s better to quit sooner rather than later.
- Start Reading
Reading helps you visualize things. This is like an exercise for your brain. As you read more and more, you improve your attention span and focus, which in turn heightens your brain. So instead of binge-watching, grab a few self-improvement books or novels.
Conclusion
Just like your body, the brain deteriorates as you age. So it’s important to care about it too. The above ten methods are some of the best ways to improve your brain health. After a few weeks, you’ll realize the difference.
