Are you interested to know how to improve brain performance? how to increase brain memory? how to improve brain function?
Let’s delve in.
Studies have shown that brain function is fueled by physical exercise and goes a long way in development, boosting function and longevity to avoid diseases and aging.
Taking the time and effort to keep a healthy brain leads to a happier and productive life. Here are some effective ways to boost brain performance, health, and memory.
1. Brain Exercises
Get mental stimulation. Every part of our body, including the brain needs exercise.
Keep yourself busy with mental games, puzzles, reading, math problems and recall. The best idea would be to engross yourself with activities that require dexterity like drawing, painting, playing music, sports.
These help stimulate your brain and create new brain cells.
Utilizing both mind and body will help you stay motivated while increasing your attention and concentration.
2. Physical Exercise
Increasing the blood flow throughout the body is a straight ticket to a healthy mind. You can avoid ‘brain fog’ that comes with age if you regularly hit the gym or do cardio.
Researchers from University of British Columbia found that regular exercise boosts the size of your hippo-campus, the area of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning.
This is, however, only valid for cardio and blood pumping exercises rather than resistance training, muscle toning and bodybuilding exercises.
Moderate intensity exercises like swimming, tennis, squash and dancing are a few examples.
3. Brain Boosting Diet
Food is really under-appreciated when it comes to brain development and health. Constant flow of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and minerals go a long way in creating a perfect functioning brain.
Some super brain foods you must start with right now are avocados, blueberries, fish (especially salmon), eggs, spinach, walnuts (the kings in this department).
A reduced caloric intake has also been seen as directly proportional to a lower risk of mental decline in old age.
Vitamins like folic acid, B6, and B12 help lower your homocysteine levels – high levels of which have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
So eat smart to stay smart.
4. Quality Sleep
A clear, rested brain has more benefits than you think. Aim for the optimum number of hours every night, which is 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
Less would be bad for your health. Oversleeping is even worse.
If you get optimum sleep, you’ll be able to make clearer decisions while increasing your creativity.
5. Laughter Therapy
There is a reason why ‘laughter is the best medicine’.
Laughter actually triggers healthy effects in your body. It strengthens your immune system, boosts your energy, eliminates pain, and negates stress.
Having a good laugh releases endorphins that you also get from physical exercise and eating chocolates.
Other avenues for a good laugh include going to a comedy club, watching a funny movie, making time for fun activities like karaoke, bowling, playing silly or just goofing around with friends.
Create these experiences to keep your brain healthy and smart.
6. Meditation
The most important activity that will revitalize your brain in the shortest time is meditation.
Stress and anxiety is like a constant pressure on your brain. Some ‘healthy’ stress might be important for motivation, but they can cause adrenal fatigue, affecting your memory and mood while making you age faster.
To avoid these, the best hack is to practice breathing techniques when stress strikes.
Meditating for half an hour each day will significantly reduce stress levels in your body.
For some people, physical exercise is a must to reduce stress. Take yoga, for example, which combines mental and physical exercise.
Make time for meditation and yoga if you find yourself low on energy.
Although production of cortisol (the stress hormone) is important from an evolutionary perspective, the present sedentary lifestyle creates more harm than good.
You must use meditation to increase your brain’s capacity to focus when you need to focus.
Did we miss anything? Drop your comments below.
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