10 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Your brain is one of the most important organs in your body. Its system of neurons, neurochemicals, and core skills govern every other part of your body AND the way you are able to interact with the world around you. Doing some simple things can help keep your brain healthy so that, whether you’re 5 or 95, you can perform at your best for the life you want to live.
Here are 10 things that have been proven to keep your brain healthy:
Stay Social
Maintaining strong social connections helps you have stronger cognition. Engaging in social activities and maintaining close relationships with friends and family is a fun and effective way to keep your brain healthy!
Get Out in Nature
Spending time in nature has numerous benefits for the brain, including reduced stress, dopamine production, and improved mental well-being.
Some research also indicates that time spent outdoors literally changes your brain structure in the area that governs executive functions like working memory, social decision-making, and selective attention.
Sleep on your side
This may seem like a strange tip, but according to research, sleeping on your side activates your glymphatic system to help your brain function better for longer! Your glymphatic system is responsible for clearing build-up from your brain cells that contributes to neurological issues and cognitive decline.
Learn a New Language or Musical Instrument
Learning a new language or instrument can help to keep the brain active and improve cognitive function. These can also be fun and rewarding hobbies!
Doing Household Chores
Research found a positive association between doing household chores (like sweeping, gardening, doing laundry, and organizing) and brain volume & cognition in older adults. You may not think of these things as high-brain-power tasks, but according to research, they may help you stay sharp!
Daily Dark Chocolate
Who doesn’t love a little bit of chocolate every now and then? Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which are compounds that have antioxidant properties that may help to protect the brain from damage that leads to age-related cognitive decline. In addition, dark chocolate can improve blood flow to the brain, which can lead to improved cognitive function.
Keep Moving
Physical exercise slows brain cell aging so you can stay sharper for longer. When it comes to the brain benefits of exercise, pretty much anything goes! Cardio, resistance training, yoga, swimming, dancing, and pretty much any kind of exercise you can think of has protective benefits for your brain health. (Plus for kids, it can help boost attention and recall skills if they stay active daily!)
Manage Stress
High levels of stress can have negative effects on the brain, including impaired memory and difficulty with problem-solving. To reduce stress, try activities like meditation, deep breathing, or exercise.
Skip Processed Foods
Research continues to point to the fact that a diet full of highly processed foods is bad for your brain. This study found that individuals who get 20% or more of their calories from ultra-processed foods had a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline along with a 25% faster rate in executive function decline.
Keep Your Brain Healthy & Sharp with Brain Training
Just like you exercise your body, keeping your brain active is a critical part of staying mentally strong at any age. Reading and playing games are great brain activities, but targeted skill strengthening may make a life-changing difference.
Brain training focuses on specific skill areas like memory, attention, logic, and executive functioning skills. These are skills you use in every area of life!
Check out this video to learn more about what brain training is and how it works:
