When we hear the word “brain,” what comes to our mind? Something complex organized and well designed. This jelly-like mass of tissue controls our whole body; in other words, you can say it is the center of the human body. It controls the entire human body system and produces every thought, action, feeling, memory, experience. The brain has the power of not just absorbing the information; its one of the most significant functions is creativity. And with the power of strategic thinking and intelligence, the human race has flourished so much from their existence. From winning wars in the early centuries to reaching space, man has achieved this all because of the brain.
What happens if our brain fails to work? Our body will suffer, we may lose any sense, the ability to think, remember, or in the worst-case scenario, and one may die. So we need to take care of brain health in the same way we take care of our physical health. Brain health is essential if we want to live a healthy life. A healthy brain can make the right decisions, solve problems, and perform better, both physically and mentally, daily. As we start getting older, our mind tends to get weaker because of a decrease in the creation of new neuron cells. This means now the brain takes more time to do the task it used to do before. But there is nothing to worry about because we can improve our brain health with the change in our lifestyle. Some brain supplements are made to improve brain health. However, just taking a supplement will not do enough; we need to alter and add a few healthy habits in our lifestyle to promote its health. Here are a few:
Table of Contents
Physical Exercise
We all have some motivation, which makes us exercise regularly. Some of us exercise to reduce weight, avoid heart diseases, diabetes, and lower blood pressure, prevent depression, and look good. Exercise is not just important for physical health; it is also essential for mental health. Exercise improves the memory and thinking ability of the brain. The study has shown that people who exercise regularly have a higher volume of brain part that controls thinking and memory. Exercise releases the growth factors chemicals which help the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and affect brain health. It also reduces stress and anxiety, improves mood and sleep.
Healthy Diet
A healthy diet always had its importance. A proper diet plays an essential role in brain health. To keep your brain healthy, doctors recommend the Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean diet includes plant-based food, whole grain wheat, omega fatty acid, fish, healthy fats such as olive oil, and fewer amounts of red meat and salt. Studies have shown people who take the Mediterranean diet are less likely to have Alzheimer’s. Moreover, omega fatty acids in olive oil improve cell functioning and slow the cognitive decline in elders.
Mental Stimulation
Use it or lose it. It is imperative to have mental activities because they enrich the mind. Stimulation can be created externally with education, activities, or internally from thought. There are many things that you can do to keep your mind active, like you can do crosswords, play chess, solve puzzles, Sudoku, and read. Mental activity improves the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, promoting the growth of brain cells. These activities also delay cognitive decline and help in decreasing the chances of dementia. So it is suggested to avoid passive activities such as watching television and practice more mentally stimulating activities. Meditation is also another aspect to keep our mind free, young, and healthy.
Get Plenty Of Sleep
Sleep plays an essential role in brain health. While you are sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. Some theories suggest that while in a dormant state, abnormal proteins are cleared, and new paths are developed to absorb information. Sleep also affects memory, and studies have shown that too little or too much affect health. Memory can be altered with too little or too much sleep, so it’s suggested that taking an adequate amount of sleep maintains it. Sleep not only affects memory; it is also linked with heart diseases, depression, anxiety, hypertension, and change in mood. So it is suggested to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
Socializing
As humans are social animals, so social interaction is the best way to avoid depression and stress. As these former and later factors are negatively linked with memory, it is suggested to look for ways to meet and stay connected with people, especially for people who live alone. Make friends, go out with them, share your feelings with them, and let all the negative energy out of your body. It is because being socially active helps to promote brain health and reduces stress.
Improve Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is dangerous for health, and it also risky for cognitive thinking.so it is essential to keep a check on blood pressure. Take medicine, exercise daily, drink a lot of water, eat healthily, and avoid getting stressed.
Limit Alcohol And Drugs
Limit the intake of alcohol as excessive use of alcohol increases the risk of dementia. Also, minimizing the use of recreational drugs is imperative for a healthy mind. Moreover, intake of high caffeine can also be harmful to long term affects. The key to having balanced health is moderation.
Conclusion
Keeping your brain healthy is very important as it is readily involved in our everyday activities, whether physical or mental. It is responsible for opening our eyes in the morning until our last thought at night. So, it is necessary to keep ourselves healthy so that we can perform better, think better, act better, be better, and have better life opportunities. It is all connected one way or another to our mind, and in the end, health is wealth.