Brain health – How many of you have thought about this before? We immediately rush to the doctor in case of a mild cold or fever, but have you ever asked your physician about how important maintaining brain health is?
The human brain is the command centre for the nervous system, and enables thoughts, memory, movement and emotions. Maintaining a healthy brain during one’s life is the uppermost goal in pursuing health and longevity. As the population ages, the burden of neurological disorders and challenges for the preservation of brain health increases. It is therefore vital to understand what brain health is and why it is important.
Lifestyle has a profound impact on brain health. What one eats and drinks, how much one exercises, how well one sleeps, the way one socialises, and how one manages stress are all critically important to one’s brain health.
Let us talk about some ways in which you can keep your brain healthy:
- Stimulation:
Brain stimulation has is used to treat mood disorders and stress. Challenge your brain with puzzles, games and new inputs. - Exercise:
According to the Global Council on Brain Health, one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy is physical exercise. This is because physical activity increases heart rate by pumping more oxygen to the brain. Aim for 150 minutes or more of aerobic exercise each week. - Proper diet:
Good nutrition can help the mind as well as the body. For example, people that eat a Mediterranean-style diet that consists of a lot of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils (e.g., olive oil) and plant sources of proteins are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia. Aim to make half of your plate non-starchy vegetables and a quarter of your plate whole grains. Some brain-boosting food items include blueberries, nuts, eggs & dark chocolate. - Sleep:
Poor or inadequate sleep is associated with worsening health and vascular risk factors, including high blood pressure and weight gain. Your brain needs those “off” hours to help clean up neurons and synapses, and to make memories. When you do not get quality sleep, your brain health and your physical health are significantly impacted. Aim for at least 6-8 hours per day. - Learning:
Keep your brain young by learning new things like a language or a new hobby like swimming, for example. It has obvious cardiovascular and muscle-building benefits, but also involves constant thinking, processing, and learning. You must be mindful of your breathing rhythm and how to properly execute strokes and kicks. - Switch routines:
Breaking from regular routines can be a powerful way to stimulate new thinking, break unhealthy habits, adapt better to change, and be more collaborative in a team environment. It helps bring enjoyment and happiness to one’s day. This happiness can improve brain function as it allows one to get a break from the monotony. - Be social:
Staying socially engaged may support brain health. Pursue social activities that are meaningful to you. Find ways to be part of your local community. If you love animals, consider volunteering at a local shelter. If you enjoy singing, join a local choir or help at an after-school programme or just share activities with friends and family. - Manage stress:
Stress, worry, fear, and anxiety can affect cognition, i.e., brain functions like attention, concentration, memory, language, reasoning, and problem-solving. Ways you can stay on track during stressful times are:
- Give yourself plenty of time
- Do not try to multi-task
- Avoid distractions
- Give yourself a break.
- Follow a self-care routine
- Read books:
Words and stories reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Reading facilitates new connections between various parts of the brain. A study found that reading a novel increases communication between parts of the brain that control language processing. - Avoid substance:
Excessive drinking is a major risk factor for dementia. Chronic alcohol-use results in a reduction in brain volume, metabolic changes, and disruption of neurotransmitters, which are chemicals the brain uses to communicate. - Digital detox:
Commit to the same bedtime each night and turn off all electronics and screens at least 30-60 minutes before you go to bed.
Brain health impacts everything from quality of life, independence, position in the workplace, and even affects one’s family, community and society as a whole. So, keeping the brain healthy will help one live a long and fulfilling life, and avoid the cognitive and physical challenges that come with poor brain health.
