Most people are guilty of bad habits that can hurt the brain. We don’t sleep enough. We eat too much junk food. We blast our headphones. It’s time to lower the volume and listen to the experts to improve our brain health.
Let’s take a deeper look at bad habits that affect the health of our brains and discover easy remedies that can increase our quality of life.
1. Don’t forget breakfast
It’s not a cup of coffee on the go. Skipping breakfast can lead to tiredness, irritability, and sluggishness. Meanwhile, those who do eat breakfast are likely to receive a boost in memory capability and cognitive function.
Most experts recommend you start your days with protein-rich foods like eggs, nuts, yogurt or cottage cheese, as well as taking advantage of fresh fruits or grains such as oatmeal.
2. Move it
We’re not suggesting you need to become a triathlete to improve your brain health, but it is crucial that you incorporate some amount of movement into your daily routine.
The Mayo Clinic suggests “at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.”
Don’t let that recommendation intimidate you from finding a place to start. Colin Milner, the Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, believes that some experts can overcomplicate things. “Simply move, and once you start moving, don’t stop,” Milner said.
Movement can be something as simple as walking, yoga, riding a bike, shooting a basketball, or hitting a few golf balls. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you take it, as long as you find a way to get active.
3. Avoid the sugar rush
We love a chocolate éclair as much as anyone, but moderation is important. Research shows that too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which in turn increases your risk of heart disease, some cancers, and Type 2 diabetes.
In an interview with Growing Bolder, functional medicine expert and author of “The New Rules of Aging,” Dr. Frank Lipman, said the number one thing we should avoid eating as we age is sugar.
“Sugar, it’s like a drug,” Lipman said. “Do you want to dabble with drugs? Eat as little sugar as possible.”
4. Go to the light
Let the sunshine in! Research proves that it will do you good. Not getting enough natural light can lead to depression. Studies have concluded that dim lighting conditions cause significant reductions in a chemical that helps maintain healthy connections between brain cells.
Conversely, sunlight can improve your brain health. Studies show that it can boost your mood, decrease feelings of anxiety, and boost brain power and cognitive function.
5. Walk and talk
Can we talk? Silence isn’t golden when it comes to brain health. Research shows that talking provides mental stimulation, which in turn helps sharpen your brain.
Here’s a way to perfectly blend two remedies together.
“Take a brisk walk with a close friend and talk about your problems,” Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent, told everydayhealth.com. “Movement is probably the most evidence-based way to actually stimulate that process of new brain-cell growth. Then there’s plenty of research around the value of connection. The opposite of that connection — loneliness — can be incredibly toxic.”
