Ways To Optimize Brain Health

Cognitive ability, or the ability to think, learn, and remember things, develops in early childhood. However, it starts declining with age. Moments of not being able to recognize the name of a familiar colleague or why you opened the cupboard happens to all of us at some point or another. However, most of us focus only on our physical health while neglecting our brain health. The good news is that numerous scientific studies have proved that regular brain-boosting activities can help optimize brain health. In this article, we’ll learn different ways to boost brain functioning. 

Why it’s important to keep the brain active

Just like we need to take care of our body to keep it in good working condition, research studies have shown that it’s equally important to exercise the brain to retain its cognitive abilities. While brain functionality slows down with age, exercise, along with a healthy diet, helps to keep the brain active. 

How to improve brain health

There are three different ways to optimize brain health. These include:

• A healthy diet
• Regular mental stimulation
• Aerobic exercise 

Let’s look at each of these factors in detail and understand how they can impact brain health.

Diet and brain health

For a long time, it has been conceived that food provides energy and supports bodily function. However, many studies have indicated that specific nutrients have profound effects on the brain, cognitive processes, and emotions. For example, a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids improves cognitive processes. On the other hand, diets that are high in saturated fat reduce the cognitive process and increase several neurological risks. So incorporating food rich in omega-3 fatty acids (ground flaxseeds, certain types of fish, walnuts) can improve cognitive capability and optimize brain health while cutting out food like mayo, butter, processed meat, deep-fried food, and cake can slow down the cognitive decline.

Mental stimulation promoting brain health

Keeping your brain active is essential to improving brain health and remembering things. Try out mind workouts like:

• Solving crosswords, puzzles, or Sudoku every day
• Pick up a book and read or join a book club
• Opt for mental arithmetic instead of relying more on the computer
• Play mind-stretching games like cards, bingo, chess
• Learn something new, like a new language
• Go out with a friend. Spending time socially helps your memory
• Take up a new hobby like baking or gardening

Aerobic exercises

Staying physically fit is vital to keeping your brain agile. Doing aerobic exercises encourages the heart to pump, improving circulation and carrying more oxygen nutrients to the brain. Regular exercise also helps to keep mental health issues, depression, and anxiety at bay.

Along with aerobic exercise, resistance training is important, too. While aerobic exercise helps in cognitive ability, resistance training helps in better focus and working memory. Here’s an exercise plan to help you get started:

• Include 2 days of cardiovascular activities like brisk walking, jogging, or swimming for at least 20 minutes. 
• Spend 2 days in resistance training, including bodyweight exercises and weight lifting for 20-30 minutes.
• Include at least one day of rest to help your body recover. Include deep breathing exercises on these days. 

Remember, consistency is the key. Even as little as 10 minutes of daily exercise can have a long-term positive impact on your brain health. However, you should always consult a physician before embarking on any physical exercise, especially if you have a chronic health condition. 

Other important factors for better brain health

Hydration levels can impact cognitive performance, memory, and attention. Be sure to stay hydrated all the time.

Sleep has a crucial role to play in memory and cognition. Focus on quality sleep for 7-9 hours every night. 

Chronic stress can negatively impact cognition and brain health. Mindfulness and meditation are good ways to keep stress under control. 

What can employers do?

Employees at modern-day workplaces need greater analytical power, creativity, and reasoning to trade the complex workplace dynamics. As AI and automation take over modern workplaces, employees need to exert more complex brain work, like complex decision-making, logical thinking, and creativity. While businesses must focus on staying ahead of their competitors, it is vital to take care of the brain health of their employees, who are the founding pillars of a company’s success. 

Things that employers can focus on:

• Providing a flexible work environment so that employees feel less stressed and have more control over their time.
• Encourage to take part in physical activities like biking to the workplace or scheduling outdoor games for the employees.
• Offering access to different mental health programs and resources. 
• Conducting workshops and webinars to spread awareness about the importance of brain health and how to take care of it.
• Arranging counseling sessions.
• Creating an open workplace communication system and having a safe environment for all the employees where no one is judged for talking about their mental health issues. 

How are you taking care of the brain health of your employees? Do let us know!

FAQs

How does sleep quality affect brain health?

Sleep is essential for brain health as it allows for memory consolidation, toxin clearance, and cellular repair, with 7-9 hours of quality sleep recommended for optimal cognitive function.

Can meditation improve brain health?

Regular meditation practice has been shown to reduce stress, improve attention and focus, increase gray matter density, and potentially slow age-related cognitive decline.