Intellectual health is one of the 9 pillars of health and your brain needs exercise. Use it or lose it applies here.
We will discuss the advantages of having a well-exercised brain (intellectual health) and its impact on your life. Then I’ll offer some practical ways you can become intentional about making sure brain optimization is an effortless part of your life.
The key word is “becoming intentional.” This applies to anything you want to do or become. It means that you make an effort to do the things you want to do. You plan and prepare for it. Good habits don’t become good habits by chance, they begin with a well thought out plan and steps to take. It comes back to SMART goals. Specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timely.
Advantages of a Healthy Brain
Brain health is the foundation for a thriving life at every age, influencing your education, relationships, career, and personal sense of fulfilment and happiness.
Numerous studies link brain health with an increased lifespan.
Balance, coordination and mobility issues (and the resulting falls and injuries that occur when your coordination and motor function slows down) often starts in the brain. Researchers have found that improving brain health can even lead to improvements in balance and coordination.
The healthier your brain the better you’re able to cope with life’s challenges. A strong, healthy mind is more resilient to pressure. Chronic, unmanaged stress typically leads to unhealthy coping habits. I.e., smoking, drinking excessively, overeating, etc.
A healthy brain guards against memory loss. Laying the groundwork for a strong, healthy brain today helps to protect yourself from memory loss and brain health problems in the future. The healthier your brain, the lower your risks of age-related illnesses, and other brain health problems that directly impact your quality of life and your longevity.
A healthy brain supports your goals passion and happiness. Maintaining a healthy brain isn’t just about living longer or being healthier. It’s also about being happier. We all desire a life that feels full of opportunity, vitality, social connection and happiness. A healthy brain offers cognitive benefits (e.g., better memory, higher levels of creativity, improved problem solving, and clearer thinking) and emotional benefits (e.g., better self-awareness and better emotional regulation) that can help you to live your best life in every way possible.
Do you have the level of cognitive, emotional and behavioral functioning that you need to navigate life successfully, feel healthy, and accomplish your goals? Or do you find your thinking muddled and your learning and memory impaired?
Your brain affects how you feel, so by caring for it properly, you can feel happier, healthier, and do more of what you want to do.
Practical Tips to Optimize Brain Health
1. Focus on your cardiovascular health
Your brain health is directly linked to your heart health. Poor blood circulation and restricted blood flow to your brain can lead to brain cell death and brain injury.
Improve your overall cardiovascular health, and you’ll improve your brain health and ensure your brain is getting all of the oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood it needs for optimal performance:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet. This could include the Mediterranean diet, and others.
- Get your blood pressure under control if you have high blood pressure. Unhealthy blood pressure levels are strongly associated with poor brain and an increased risk of cognitive decline in later life.
- Cut back on alcohol. And, if you smoke, try to kick the habit.
2. Get more rest
Your brain works hard all day, and giving your brain a break has been shown to boost your focus, improve mental performance, and even assist in complex problem-solving.
Find ways to take a mental break throughout your day, especially if you’ve been focused on something that’s mentally fatiguing. Go for a walk in nature. Do some meditation or yoga. Or take a nap.
It’s during sleep that your brain heals itself, eliminates toxins that might have built up throughout the day, and moves information from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.
3. Engage the brain
Staying mentally and socially engaged helps generate new brain cells, builds new neural connections, and boosts your overall brain performance. Try learning something new, ideally in a social setting.
This might include learning a new language, taking dance classes, enrolling in a painting workshop, or playing a new team sport. Not only will you boost your brain health, but you’ll also elevate your mood and reduce loneliness and social isolation (feeling socially isolated is a risk factor for poor brain health).
Continuous learning throughout your life is a great way to encourage neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to change and adapt. This is important because a flexible brain is more easily able to:
- Pick up new skills
- Recover from injuries
- Adapt to new situations
- Access memories
- Reduce the risk of cognitive decline
4. Exercise for a few minutes every day
Researchers have found that exercise lights up all parts of your brain, improves cognition and may even increase the size of the parts of your brain associated with learning and memory. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. You don’t need to be a gym rat—walking the dog, gardening, or playing with your children all counts and helps to keep your brain strong.
5. Ensure your diet contains brain savvy nutrients.
Researchers have identified numerous ways that your nutrition fuels (or sabotages) your brain health. Well-known vitamins, minerals and nutrients that support optimal brain function in all key areas of brain health include:
- Antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E
- Essential minerals like chromium and zinc
- Omega 3 EPAs and DHAs
- And many more
How can I strengthen my brain?
We talked about how to improve brain health – but can you actually strengthen your brain? Any mentally stimulating activity will help to build up your brain. This could be reading, taking a course, math problems, word puzzles, card games, puzzles, etc.
Also experiment with things that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting and other crafts.
Learning new skills and teaching skills to others are helpful.
Do these activities often and you will find that your brain sharpens and strengthens in some areas.
Conclusion
Where do you lack in brain health optimization? What small step can you take today on the path to improvement?
Wishing you well in health and wellness!
