How to Improve Brain Health in 6 Simple Steps
We often think about the importance of maintaining physical health, but mental well-being (“brain health”) is also a vital component of aging. Cognitive fitness allows us to maintain greater independence throughout our lives, as we utilize and depend upon strong executive functioning, memory, and attentional skills for all aspects of daily life.
While there are certain risk factors for age-related cognitive decline, you can take steps right now to keep your brain healthy. There are a few simple lifestyle habits that keep our brain functioning at optimal performance. Continue reading below to discover six simple steps for a healthier brain. You will learn how small changes in your daily routines can add up to impressive results.
Eat a Nutritious, Balanced Diet (with Lots of Plants)
It is generally understood that a nutritious diet has profound benefits for both physical and cognitive health. However, the amount of contradictory information about what constitutes a “healthy diet” can feel overwhelming. Many books and articles are touting the benefits of raw vegan, keto, and even a carnivore diet.
So how do we tease out the basic patterns of an optimal diet for cognitive wellness? One approach focusing on brain health is called the MIND diet, a research-based approach to eating developed by Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University. This approach combines elements from a Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet for hypertension, which have been shown to reduce cardiovascular and cognitive risk factors.
However, the MIND diet approach utilizes the latest evidence regarding the impact of diet on dementia risk, emphasizing the intake of fruits and vegetables that are protective against dementia and cognitive decline.
The MIND diet emphasizes the importance of various vegetables, highlighting green leafy vegetables (unless an individual is taking anticoagulants, such as Warfarin). It also recommends an increased intake of nuts, berries, fish, whole grains, legumes, and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil). An individual would decrease intake of saturated fats such as red meats, cheese, and fried foods/sweets on this plan.
There is ample evidence in cognitive health regarding the effect of blood glucose on cognitive function. Generally, current research supports the idea that reducing the intake of simple carbohydrates and sugar positively impacts cognitive performance.
Engage in Physical Activity
We know exercise is essential for our bodies to maintain health and vitality as we age, but did you know it is equally crucial for cognitive wellness? Movement sends oxygenated blood to nourish brain cells and helps to protect the brain against age-related decline.
Physical activity can increase levels of BDNF, a molecule that fosters the growth of new neurons in the brain (and protects existing neurons).
There is also evidence exercise can improve and maintain volume in some areas of the brain that tend to shrink with age. Cardiovascular activity has powerful cognitive benefits, but any physical activity is a valuable part of a brain-boosting program!
Prioritize Restful Sleep
Do you feel like you have “brain fog” after a night of restless sleep? Just one night without restorative sleep can harm cognitive function. The brain requires deep, restful REM sleep to process and consolidate new information to help new memories "stick." It does this by moving data from the hippocampus (the brain's temporary memory storage) to a more permanent memory location in the brain's frontal cortex.
Additionally, sleep activates a “cleansing” process in the brain via the glymphatic system, a network of vessels that removes waste from the central nervous system. The type of waste released includes proteins such as beta-amyloid, which are the plaques that form in the brain during Alzheimer’s disease.
Manage Stress
Stress has long-reaching consequences for the body, as well as the brain. Chronic stress can change the brain in a variety of ways. A consistent flow of stress hormones in the body can slow the production of new neurons in the part of the brain that helps encode memory—the hippocampus.
Additionally, ongoing stress can lead to shrinkage in the prefrontal cortex, an important part of the brain involved in executive function skills (such as planning and executing complex tasks). Similarly to having a poor night of sleep, you might feel that your cognitive performance is not optimal (i.e., brain fog!) if you are under a great deal of stress in your life.
Maintain Social Relationships
Maintaining close, supportive social relationships is essential to our overall well-being, but it is also helpful for your brain! Social connections stimulate and challenge your brain, as many social activities require cognitive processes such as memory and attention.
You may also participate in community or group activities that promote stronger neural connections in the brain. One of the most helpful, brain-boosting social activities is dancing; it provides the benefit of physical activity, stress management, and higher cognitive skills such as memory and planning.
Challenge your Brain
Your brain is not stagnant! No matter your age, the brain always maintains a certain level of neuroplasticity, and you can improve your cognitive reserve and function at any stage in your life. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt. Think of it this way: You actually can teach an old dog new tricks because the brain is always able to modify old patterns of thinking and behavior!
However, when boosting brain fitness, the earlier you begin to implement the recommendations discussed below, the greater your results. This is due to building a cognitive reserve, which develops after participating in years of activities that challenge the brain.
Whether it is pursuing academic studies, performing cognitively rigorous tasks at work, or having a hobby that challenges the brain, individuals who engage in these types of activities are better able to stave off many of the degenerative brain changes associated with aging.
By consistently challenging your brain with cognitively rigorous tasks, you will continue to boost and build cognitive reserve. The best is to engage in tasks that are varied and sufficiently challenging by introducing new activities for your “cognitive workout!”
Examples of activities that challenge the brain include learning a foreign language, practicing a new instrument, painting, training for a new volunteer job, working on puzzles or “brain teasers,” working on a novel you’ve always dreamed of writing, or taking photography classes.
One of the most destructive things you can do for your brain is sit in front of a screen for hours without engaging in an activity that sufficiently stimulates the brain. Start by picking one new activity you might enjoy; the opportunities are endless!
