Supporting Brain Health: 10 Tips to Stay Sharp
Don’t think of focusing on brain health as a New Year’s resolution. Nearly 80% of people who set New Year’s resolutions lose their resolve by mid-February. Instead, look for gradual ways to make small changes to improve your brain that will help improve your mental health, memory, attention, and sleep.
Need some ideas? We’ve got 10 tips to adopt this year to support your brain health without making big adjustments to your lifestyle.
#1: Drink one cup of coffee in the morning daily.
Too much coffee—or consumed too late in the day—can increase anxiety and interfere with sleep. But starting your day with a cup of java has been linked to a decreased risk of developing some neurodegenerative conditions, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. It can also help you stay focused, give you more energy, and improve mood.
#2: Get more social.
Various studies have shown that socializing is one of the best ways to retain cognitive sharpness. In fact, isolation has been found to do the opposite for the brain. Join a club, meet up with friends regularly, sign up for a class or workshop, or simply spend more time engaged in conversations and games with family members to maintain your brain.
#3: Add foods from the Mediterranean Diet.
It’s not realistic for everyone in your family to switch the Mediterranean Diet—widely known as the healthiest eating lifestyle—overnight. Rising food costs, lack of accessibility to healthy foods, and picky eaters can all play a role in how healthy a family can eat. But if you can gradually start incorporating some of the healthy foods from this plant-inspired diet, everyone’s brain can benefit. Think fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, unprocessed cereals, and limiting things like red meats, processed foods, and high-fat, high-sugar foods.
#4: Maintain a healthy sleep schedule.
Although quantity matters, when it comes to sleep to help your brain function at peak performance, so does quality. That means establishing a good nighttime routine; avoiding late-night caffeine, alcohol, and large or heavy meals in the hours leading up to bedtime; and going to bed at the same time every night. Some things that can help you fall asleep:
- white noise (such as a fan or noise machine)
- blackout curtains
- chamomile or Sleepytime tea
- a warm bath
- and relaxation exercises.
You may also want to consider writing a “to do” list before bed to help free your mind of pressing matters that might otherwise keep you up at night.
#5: Get your heart rate up regularly.
Regular exercise or physical activity that raises your heart rate can help not only improve the efficiency of your brain, but also sleep better in the night. Consider swimming, pickleball, walking briskly, or even doing yoga or self-defense classes. Avoid exercising in the hours immediately before bed, which can actually make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
#6: Commit to learning something new daily.
There are enough free videos online that you can now learn to do something new without spending any money or leaving the comfort of your home! From knitting and baking bread to painting and learning another language, new activities that engage your brain can boost vital cognitive functions like memory, processing speed, attention, and visual and auditory processing.
#7: Practice meditation for just 15 minutes daily.
While a little stress can be good for the brain, chronic stress can impede the organ’s ability to function at its best. Simply sitting quietly for 15 minutes a day can help you calm down to make decisions more clearly, focus on gratitude for the things that are going well in your life, and re-center on the present.
Don’t worry if your mind starts to wander. It’s called a “practice” for a reason. When you catch yourself losing focus from being in the moment, simply observe the unwanted thoughts and allow them to pass. Some people find that having a focus word or sound gives them a place to return to when their attention turns to other things.
#8: Keep a book on you at all times.
Reading isn’t just a good stress reliever or form of cheap (or free) entertainment. It’s a complex task that engages different parts of your brain to help you visualize, remember, pay attention, and sound out letters and words. By engaging your brain to learn when you’re waiting in a doctor’s office or sitting in the car waiting on your kid’s soccer practice to end, you’ll be creating new neural connections that prevent your brain from atrophying. The old adage, “Use it or lose it” may apply to your brain more than anything in life!
#9: Find more reasons to laugh.
Laughter isn’t just the best medicine to fight sadness; it also increases your intake of oxygen, improves circulation, and stimulates the brain’s production of natural stress relievers and painkillers. Improving blood flow to the brain through laughter can reduce your risk of stroke, lessen your chances of cognitive impairment, and improve your memory.
#10: Check your medications.
If you’re currently taking any medications, ensure that they’re not interfering with your cognition, digestion, or sleep—which can all affect your brain health. Your doctor may simply recommend changing the time of day that you take your prescriptions or they may be able to find a similar medication with no (or different) side effects.
Any time is a good time to start focusing on boosting your brain health!
By gradually adding a few new habits, you may find that you’re thinking faster, remembering more, and paying attention to the things that need your focus. Just remember, you’re more likely to adopt these habits long term if you ease into them. Start small and build on your successes!
