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. So please, lower the volume and listen to the experts to improve your 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. Breakfast
It’s not a cup of Starbucks coffee on the go. Skipping breakfast will likely lead to tiredness, irritability, and sluggishness. Start you days with these delicious, energy-boosting options: oatmeal, fruit and nuts, egg sandwich, or a Greek yogurt parfait.
2. Move it
We’re not suggesting you need to become a triathlete to improve your brain health . 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.” It could be something as simple as walking at a brisk pace. Set a goal to exercise at least three days a week.
3. Avoid the sugar rush
We love a chocolate éclair as much as anyone, but moderation is important. Too much sugar can lead to weight gain, which in turn increases your risk of heart disease, some cancers, and Type 2 diabetes.
Click here to learn more about five reasons you should cut back on your sugar.
4. Go to the light
Let the sunshine in! It will do you good. Not getting enough natural light can lead to depression. Researchers 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.
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.
5. Walk and talk
Here’s a way to perfectly blend two of these suggestions 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
