How a person manages stress, how well they socialize, how well they sleep, how much they exercise, and what they drink and eat all are crucial factors in brain health. So how does one achieve brain health? Let’s consider the seven pillars of brain health that can help you achieve optimal brain performance.
Physical Exercise
You need to get your body moving, because those who exercise on a regular basis have a decreased risk of coming down with a number of different diseases. Exercise can improve both your memory and your blood flow. It also causes chemical changes in the brain that boost thinking, mood, and thinking. It is important to exercise and stay fit in order to have a healthy brain. Exercise can prolong your life, reduce the risk of heart disease, maximize sleep, help you lose weight, and improve your mood. The mind is closely linked to the body so the more exercise you get, the better your mind functions.
Try regular exercise to develop a strong memory. Be creative with your exercise solutions. We live where it is cold snowy and icy for 3 months and then blazing hot and humid for another three months. Neither one is great for outdoor exercise. We found a facility with a heated pool that is perfect for year round exercise. And when it is impossible to get to the pool – walk around the kitchen island for twenty minutes. It’s a big enough space that we don’t need to hug the island so it’s like walking a giant circle – just big enough that I don’t get dizzy!
Reducing Risks For Mental Health Conditions
We cannot always avoid mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety. However, there are things we can do to reduce risk factors for such diagnoses. For one, avoiding and dealing with chronic stress can help reduce risks for depression and anxiety conditions. Additionally, learning healthy coping skills for dealing with life’s problems and our own emotions can help prevent going into a depressive spiral.
Healthy relationships are very helpful. As a caregiver, especially for a spouse or a child, those established relationships change from one of mutual support. It is important to find other persons to provide support for yourself, whether it is a group online or a good friend or a therapist.
Food and nutrition
There is some truth the old adage “you are what you eat.” By making good food choices every day, you can improve the health of your brain. As a person ages, their brain is subjected to oxidation, caused by a number of factors, including smoking, environmental exposures, poor diet, and stress. The process by which stress and other factors will affect brain health is known as “oxidation”. Symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, inflammation and premature aging.
Food that is high in antioxidants can help reduce the negative effects of oxidation. Try eating a Mediterranean diet, which is high in nuts, olives, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and fish and can be a way to achieve good brain health.
Medical health
Good brain health starts with controlling your medical risks. Things like smoking, high cholesterol, head trauma, depression, obesity, and diabetes all increase a person’s chances of developing dementia. If you get regular check-ups and follow your doctor’s advice (including taking medications as prescribed), you will be better both physically and mentally. Your brain is happier when you take care of your medical health. Make sure you avoid obesity as people who are overweight have an increased risk of diabetes, which can lead to dementia. Try to include daily balance exercises, strength training, and aerobic exercises.
Sleep and relaxation
Your brain functions better when you are well rested. Sleep is energizing, improves your immune system, enhances your mood, and restarts the brain. Anyone who has had to stay awake for an extended period of time, or got a bad night’s sleep knows how much of an impact this has on mental functioning, focus and concentration. If you have trouble with sleeping well, try meditation to manage your stress levels, which may also help to decrease the age-related loss of brain health. There are few things that help a person feel better than getting enough sleep. It sharpens the brain and helps maximize the brain.
Mental fitness
Brain health depends on using your mind to its maximum ability. Those who spend much of the their time in front of a television are not really stimulating the brain, it is more similar to muscle atrophy from lack of movement. Getting enough mental exercise is just as critical as physical exercise is to brain health. Mental exercise can maximize a person’s ability promote brain cell growth and improve the functioning of their brain. It can decrease the chances of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. Just as a person exercises their muscles, they need to exercise their brain.
There is something known as “brain reserve,” which helps the brain respond and adapt to mental changes and reduce the risk that your brain will sustain damage. A person’s brain reserve starts when they are children and only gets stronger when the person gets older. People who persist in developing new interests and skills, engage in things that are interesting, partake in new activities, and continue to learn new things that will maximize their brain reserve.
Social interaction
People who maintain social interaction and remain connected with others have better brain health. Try to engage in conversation with others, spend time with others, and stay in touch with loved ones. Those people who have the most social interaction enjoy better brain health. This can be one of the most difficult adaptations for caregivers to make.
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