10 Ways to Help Your Brain Health

In the past, neurologists believed that the brain had a fixed number of neurons that die gradually with declining replacement, resulting in a gradual decline of cognitive ability past middle age.

With new discoveries springing up by the moment, it is now known that the brain can keep itself alive and functioning maximally past the middle age, retaining its elasticity into old age with the ability to rewire, create new connections, and even regenerate new neurons.

However, that ability depends on how well you take care of your brain health, which essentially falls back to lifestyle choices.

Good lifestyle choices promote brain function and enhance cognitive ability well into old age, while bad lifestyle choices result in gradually declining brain health, which could give way to mental health disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive decline in old age.

The ten tips outlined in this article on how to boost your brain health are strongly anchored in recent neurological findings aimed at promoting mental health development.

By incorporating these brain health tips into your daily habits, you’re creating a solid foundation for a sharper and more resilient mind for a more fulfilling life in old age.

10 Ways to Help Your Brain Health

1. Prioritize Good Quality Sleep

The brain needs time to rid itself of wastes, repair itself, consolidate memories, and reset for the next day.

The brain does all of that only when you sleep; hence the daily recommendation of seven to nine hours of sleep for adults.

A 2019 study showed that the brain’s glymphatic system, responsible for flushing out metabolic wastes like amyloid beta and tau proteins in the brain, is more active during deep sleep.

These metabolic wastes are the leading cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

To enjoy sound quality sleep, you should:

Sleep seven to nine hours daily.
Create a routine sleep pattern by going to bed at a scheduled time daily.
Limit screen exposure before bedtime.
Keep your sleep environment dark.

2. Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise has been known for centuries to play an important role in brain development, memory retention, improved blood flow to the brain, and reduced brain inflammation.

It also promotes the formation of new neurons, which boosts the creation of new synaptic pathways in the brain.

A 2011 study conducted with older adults showed that older adults who regularly engage in aerobic exercise showed increased hippocampal volume, essential to memory retention.

Daily recommendation of 30 minutes of aerobic activities like brisk walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, and regular house chores benefits brain health.

Poor dietary patterns involving consuming high amounts of processed meat, chips, canned fruits, vegetables, and drinks, frozen dinners, and foods high in refined carbohydrates result in neuroinflammation, cognitive decline, dementia, depression, and reduced information processing ability of the brain.

A 2015 study proved that the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet slows down cognitive aging by seven and a half years, and also protects the brain’s cognitive functions in older adults more prone to brain health disorders.

Based on the MIND diet, diets for brain health should include

Minimum threshold of 6 servings of leafy greens like spinach, kale, and broccoli per week.
A daily serving of other vegetables 2 servings of blueberries and strawberries per week.
5 servings of nuts per week.
Olive oil.
At least three servings of whole grains daily.
At least one serving of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids per week.
At least three servings of beans per week.
At least 2 servings of eggs per week.
Wine consumed moderately.

4. Cut Down On Stress

Chronic stress causes an increase in the cortisol level in the brain. This has been linked to physical damage in the hippocampus by reducing its volume, slowing down the formation of new neurons, and reducing memory retention abilities.

A 2018 study on mindfulness meditation showed a significant reduction in the cortisol level of the brain, improved cognitive function, and stable hippocampal growth, resulting in improved mental health.

Engage in 10-15 minutes of mindfulness meditation by:

Finding a quiet Place or spot.
Getting comfortable in a chair or on the floor with a straight and relaxed back.
Focusing on breathing, drawing in air in and out of your body.
Taking note of your thoughts, not dwelling on them, and releasing them to focus on your breathing.
Showing kindness to yourself by admitting that it is normal for the mind to wander, don’t beat yourself over it.

5. Engage In Active Learning

Active learning builds your brain’s cognitive reserve: the ability of the brain to sustain neurological damage from Alzheimer’s pathology with suppressed physical manifestations.

A 2019 study on learning found that acquiring new skills that require cognitive effort leads to positive changes in the brains of older adults.

How to Boost Your Cognitive Reserve

Challenge yourself by engaging in hobbies that are taxing to the brain.
Forge new social boundaries; Build meaningful relationships and make new friends through regular social contact and interactions.
Engage in regular aerobic exercise.
Engage in mentoring activities.

6. Build Strong Social Connections

Social engagement has strong positive effects on brain health; conversation in general is demanding, tasking the brain in real time language processing, emotional attunement, memory recall, and changing perspectives keeps the brain active and functioning.

Social isolation causes chronic stress, increases the risk of dementia, and increases the chances of death as outlined in a 2022 study.

You can build strong social connections by:

Taking time out to create solid connections with people who care about you through calls, messages, or visits.
Building a sense of belonging by engaging with groups that share common interests with you.
Seeking emotional and physical support by reaching out through your social network
Focusing on building mutually supportive relationships; A few high-quality relationships are more beneficial than superficial attachments.

7. Drink Water Regularly, Not When You’re Thirsty

Your memory, attention, and psychomotor processing are adversely affected when your body suffers a level of dehydration that produces no obvious thirst sensation.

A 2011 study found that mild dehydration resulting in 1.36% loss of body water without vigorous exercise significantly affects mood, memory, and cognitive abilities in young women.

How to keep your body optimally hydrated

Drink water at regular intervals to maintain your brain health, not large volumes at once.
Monitor your urine color; a pale-yellow urine indicates that your brain is well-hydrated, and a darker yellow color is an indication of an alarming level of dehydration that can affect the brain.
Drink more water when you’re ill, during exercise, or in hot weather.
Avoid excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption, as both are known to cause rapid dehydration.

8. Be Curious; Keep Learning

Reading, writing, or solving complex problems without interruptions are the regular maintenance your brain needs; they help you to build the capacity to think deeply.

A 2019 study involving children over two years found that increased exposure to screen time compromises the brain’s language ability and executive function, resulting in poor language development.

Continuous reading:

Activates multiple regions in the brain, connects language centers, and enhances cognitive processing.
Strengthens the brain’s simulation ability, which is necessary for developing original thought, creativity, and problem-solving ability.
Reduces the risk of dementia by keeping the brain functioning optimally and slowing down cognitive decline.
Promotes mental well-being by keeping the brain sharp and highly adaptable.

9. Consider Quitting Alcohol

The 2023 World Health Organization’s position on alcohol clarifies that there’s no safe alcohol consumption level.

A 2018 study spanning 30 years found that weekly alcohol consumption of 14 units reduces the hippocampal volume, leading to a three times faster brain atrophy than in non-drinkers, and greater damage to the brain’s white matter.

Alcohol consumption:

Slows down the brain’s ability to process information by disrupting neurotransmitter activities in the brain.
Results in difficulties in learning and memory retention, and blackouts.
Affects balance and coordination as a result of damage to the cerebellum.
Causes long-term Alcohol-Related Brain Damage (ARBD) leading to memory loss, confusion, and personality disorders.
Shrinks the brain by causing hippocampus atrophy.

10. Protect Your Head from Physical Injury

Physical injury to the head is debilitating, and it can result in irreversible damage to the brain due to its delicate nature.

Research shows that concussions increase the chances of developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), causing brain enlargement, memory loss, mood swings, and overall decline in cognitive ability.

Seek immediate health care if:

You’re experiencing a headache that gets worse.
You’re feeling weak, numb, or experiencing decreased coordination.
You’re vomiting repeatedly or experiencing nausea.
Your speech is getting slurred, or feeling extreme drowsiness.
You experience loss of consciousness.

Conclusion

Brain health cannot be attributed to a single healthy tip or habit, but relies on incorporating multiple lifestyle factors that work together as a daily habit.

Sleep, exercise, healthy diet, stress management, social connection and other brain-healthy habits interact together to improve the brain’s cognitive abilities and mental health.

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