Our brain is our most important asset. Its higher cognitive abilities allow us to rapidly adapt to new situations, environments and dangers. It is the most complicated biological structure known and sometimes the most difficult to define. Because it is so multidimensional, there are many things to consider when assessing its health – things such as retention and retrieval, tenacity, perception, motor skills, comprehension, processing and natural ability.
Fuelling the brain for the long haul is the most important when considering your diet. Brain chemistry is delicate; consuming a diverse array of whole foods with as few additives as possible is the simplest and easiest way to maintain proper brain function. You should be eating smaller nutrient rich meals more frequently. In addition to a nutrient-rich diet, Omega-3 fatty acids are shown to be an important factor in the brain’s construction of cell walls and are valuable in treating psychiatric disorders such as depression. The key is a balanced diet of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Maintaining a healthy body plays a role in your brain’s health as well. Exercise improves memory, concentration, abstract reasoning and more. Exercise stimulates the brain to grow new neurons in the Hippocampus, an area directly responsible for memoryDancing can be a very good exercise for the brain, because discovering new and different movements excites your brain in ways that mental exercise alone cannot.
Brain tissue is 85% water and your brain requires more water than any other organ in your body. Drinking enough water over your lifetime prevents toxins from interfering with your brain’s fragile neurochemical balance. If these toxins significantly alter a single chemical reaction, the resulting ripple effect is felt throughout the entire brain leading to brain diseases and imbalances of all kinds including clinical depression.
There are a plethora of brain exercises out there, all designed to boost specific brain functions. The major theme is awareness. Be aware and make a conscious effort to think about your immediate sensory inputs and the more abstract realities of life
Crossword puzzles are great brain workouts because they force you to think about very abstract ideas from sparse information and clues. Connecting all these ideas is a great way to train your brain to develop concrete ideas from seemingly random factoids. Sudokus are another very popular brain stimulator.
In the same vein as brain puzzles, taking a class can also stimulate your brain. If classes aren’t your thing, go to a poetry reading or join a book club. The inter-personal communication of ideas and thoughts challenges your own conceptions and builds a great foundation for collaborative work. New synapses are formed and old ones are strengthened. Great for your job and great for your life.
Learning a different language, at any level, encourages excellent brain function. Learning a language is a comprehensive brain activity affecting many different sections, speech, hearing and reading. Forming new connections between the abstract ideas that are conveyed with language is one of the most important brain-health exercises you can do.
Do anything, but don’t do nothing. All research shows that boredom can lead to atrophy.
When you are not stretching, or at least working your brain, valuable synapses and connections are going to disrepair. This gradual decline will certainly make your ageing process difficult and will lead to decreased mental function when you have reached an advanced age.
Getting the proper quantity and quality of sleep is perhaps one of the most important methods of preserving brain function; it’s also the of the simplest. When we sleep we give our brain time to repair damage and consolidate memory and sensory inputs accumulated during our conscious day. It’s not a coincidence that the most effective torture and coercion technique is sleep deprivation. The brain needs rest to flush chemicals and switch active foci. Even a quick nap will do wonders for your concentration and memory, as research has shown the initial stages of sleep are the most beneficial to concentration. The better-known REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, cycle of sleeping encourages sound mental health. When you can, it is best to sleep in, or sleep at least until you wake up naturally, your body and brain know best when they are rested.
The brain is a natural wonder that has perplexed scientists and philosophers for ages. It still amazes. We have learned so much about it, and yet still, so much remains to be known of man’s most valuable tool. Keep it sharp and your small investment will produce huge returns in the future.
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