5 Simple Ways to Keep Your Brain Healthy
Your brain is one of the many superheroes in your body. It’s responsible for coordinating your movements, problem-solving, storing your memories, and a lot more.
Yet, most people take their brain health for granted until they start recognizing a change in their memory or other cognitive functions.
The bad news is, as we age, facing some memory loss is normal.
The good news, however, is that you can influence your brain health through simple steps at any age. That’s mostly because our brain is able to produce new brain cells beyond childhood.
In her popular Ted talk, neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret describes how the process of neurogenesis helps us grow new brain cells while also improving our mood and memory.
Yet, this won’t happen by coincidence. If you want to age with a healthy brain, you better take care of it as soon as possible.
According to psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist Daniel Amen, you have a 50% risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia by the age of 85.
To avoid those risks and make the most of your life, you better take care of your brain before facing problems.
“You are not stuck with the brain you have. You can make it better.”
— Dr. Daniel Amen
You Might Not Want to Do This (But You Have to)
Regular movement isn’t only good for your heart (and waistline); it’s also inevitable for a healthy brain.
Even 30 minutes of aerobic exercise such as walking, swimming, or cycling, five times per week can help to keep your brain sharp.
This might not sound like a big challenge, but for most people, it is.
With almost 40% of the global adult population being overweight or even obese, it’s no wonder that so many people face problems with their memory and concentration levels.
We all want to live long and happy lives, yet, we struggle to take care of our biggest asset: Our body.
Research proves that exercising can increase the size of our hippocampus, which is the area of your brain responsible for learning, memory, mood, and emotions.
If you’re used to spending the vast majority of your time glued to a chair, adding some movement to your daily life might first sound challenging. But if you think of it as a free and easy way to invest in your (brain) health, getting up and going on a 30-minute walk should be a no-brainer.
When You Stop Learning, Your Brain Starts Dying
If you want to keep your brain healthy, you need to stop taking life too seriously and allow yourself to have a little more fun.
The rule is simple: If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.
Most people don’t have a bad memory because they’re old. They have a bad memory because they have bad habits, including spending all their days similarly.
To keep your brain healthy, you need to stimulate it to break free from your habitual way of thinking. Instead, you want to challenge yourself and develop new brain pathways by trying new activities.
This could include learning new skills, such as playing an instrument or learning a new language. But it could also involve traveling to new places, completing a jigsaw puzzle, or engaging in other mentally challenging activities.
Keeping your brain healthy isn’t about doing crazy things. It’s more about trying something new and stepping slightly out of your comfort zone.
Magic Happens When You Allow Yourself to *Dream* a Little More
According to CDC, 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep.
While motivational speakers are often telling people to sleep less (or: “sleep faster,” as Arnold Schwarzenegger would say), the truth is that a lack of sleep only turns you into an ineffective hustler who’ll most likely fail to achieve his goals.
Sleeping less than seven hours per day lowers your blood flow and impairs your cognitive abilities.
And anything that slows down your blood flow is bad for your heart and brain health.
When you sleep, you allow your brain to rest and heal. That’s when you take a pause from the constant information overflow and process everything you learned and experienced throughout the day.
However, brain health isn’t only about how much you sleep. It’s also about the quality of your sleep.
Some easy ways to get a good night’s sleep are:
- Reducing blue light exposure through screens at least an hour before going to bed.
- Avoiding excessive workouts or big meals late in the evening.
- Sticking to a nighttime routine and going to bed at the same time every day.
This Is Easy
Another simple yet increasingly underrated way to keep our brains healthy is to socialize and stay connected to our loved ones.
Investing in your relationships doesn’t only feel good. It’s also healthy for your brain.
Good friendships can lead to less anxiety and worrying, which are both toxins for our brains.
Socializing and surrounding yourself with people (preferably those you actually like) is particularly relevant when you age.
Research even proves that those who are happy in their relationships and avoid being lonely reduce their risk of cognitive decline.
“Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too.”
— Robert Waldinger
Forming and maintaining new friendships isn’t always easy, but what you can always do is volunteering for a good cause, joining social clubs, or signing up for local exercise classes.
These are all win-win investments that’ll help you live a happier, healthier, and probably also longer life while making an impact.
Don’t Ignore the Obvious Stuff
Sometimes, the simplest “life hacks” are the most effective.
Keeping your brain healthy is close to impossible if you’re not also taking care of the rest of your physical and mental health.
A healthy heart, for example, allows your blood to flow easily, which also nurtures your brain cells.
And as you can imagine, keeping your heart healthy is directly related to the food you consume.
You can literally fuel your brain through the food you eat. Yet most people do the contrary and fill their bodies with transfats, toxins, and high sugar foods, which accelerate memory loss.
Even though our brains only weigh 2–3 kilos, they suck up to 20–30% of the energy we gain from food. That’s why fueling your brain with the right ingredients matters so much.
Some easy ways to consume brain foods are increasing your intake of Omega 3 and 6, found in nuts and seeds.
Coconut and olive oil are great alternatives to keep your brain sharp as well.
And the easiest way to keep your brain healthy is by consuming lots of foods that are high in antioxidants, such as berries, turmeric, dark chocolate, and ginger.
A fool-proof way to ensure you consume enough of these foods is by starting your day with a smoothie that combines them. My favorite combination consists of spinach, blueberries, cucumber, a small piece of ginger, soy milk, and some protein powder.
Another no-brainer to keep your brain sharp is drinking enough water.
Surveys show that 75% of Americans are dehydrated. Given that more than half of our bodies are made up of water, this is a shockingly high number of people who are dehydrated.
It’s no wonder you’re feeling sluggish and struggling to focus if you’re ignoring your need for at least 2.5 liters of water per day.
Apart from eating well and drinking enough water, your breath can also influence your brain health.
Research proves that the way we breathe shapes our emotional states. Slow, controlled, and deep breathing can help you calm down and feel better.
Most people, however, breathe wrong because they practice shallow breathing and never take deep breaths.
Final thoughts
In a nutshell, keeping your brain healthy is mostly about using it to minimize certain risks that stem from an unhealthy lifestyle.
Some of the most common ways we’re harming our brains are through excessive drinking and nicotine consumption. But as Dr. Daniel Amen says:
“Your brains history is not your brains destiny.”
You are in charge of your brain health. You can let that superpower slip through your fingers or use it to your advantage by taking full responsibility for your (brain) health.
Going on short walks, trying new things, sleeping a little more, and spending time with your loved ones are no magic pills. Yet, they can help you stay happy and healthy.
If you combine those fun activities with the right diet, proper hydration, and avoid toxins through alcohol, nicotine, and highly processed foods, you’ll be on the best way to age with a healthy body and mind.