Good brain health is an absolute must if you want to achieve optimal health, be more successful, and have a better quality of life. Fortunately, you can improve your brain health with some simple habits.
While there are a lot of factors that can’t be controlled for good brain health, research has shown that you can stack the odds in your favor through simple brain-friendly lifestyle changes.
Tip #1 – Stop Smoking
Smoking is like an atomic bomb for your brain. If there’s one thing that you can do to immediately to decrease your risk of poor brain health, it’s to stop smoking of any kind.
Not only is smoking horrible for your brain but your entire body! In contrast, it’s the leading cause of premature deaths in the United States.
Smoking hurts cognitive functions and makes people dumber, sicker, and weaker. And regarding the brain, it literally shrinks it up!
Smoking destroys the brain in more ways than one. Nicotine alone is toxic and very high levels (e.g. just one cigarette) coupled with toxic smoke, creates a winning combination for poor health.
OK, So How to Quit?
Here are some tips for quitting those brain-robbing cancer sticks according to smokefree.gov:
- Set a deadline for quitting and make a commitment.
- Create compelling reasons to quit.
- Learn how to manage triggers and cravings.
- Have a strategy for managing nicotine withdrawal.
- Gather a support group of people to support your decision.
- Avoid being around smokers.
Of all of those tips, “Avoid being around smokers” may be a difficult one for you. As an ex-smoker myself, I know it was for me.
When I tried to quit smoking, I was literally around smokers all the time! It’s no wonder I had a hard time quitting!
I hate to say it, but if you want to quit smoking and are around smokers all the time, you may have to let go of some friends and find some new ones.
I’ll warn you, there are smoking friends who will make fun of your decision. Some of them won’t understand, but deep down, they know that they wish they would quit too.
And if you think smoking is cool, just remember that there’s nothing more cool than having a lean, sexy, youthful, energetic body.
An addiction that destroys the body from the inside out? That’s not cool. I don’t give a hoot about “cool” looking smokers.
Tip #2 – Exercise Your Brain
Just like you have to work to build stronger muscles, you have to exercise your brain to make it stronger.
One of the best ways to improve your brain health and build up your grey matter is through reading. Yep, that’s right. You can actually build your grey matter through reading.
Have you ever noticed how you think more critically and intelligently after reading a lot? I know I have.
Not much of a reader? Have a go at audiobooks or use one of the following alternatives:
- Play a brain game, such as Dual’n’back.
- Learn to play an instrument.
- Put together a big puzzle.
- Do activities that engage all 5 of your senses, such as a cooking class.
- Start an aerobic exercise routine.
- Develop the habit of deep, mindful breaths.
There are many different activities that you can do to improve your brain power. Pick an option that is fun and easy for you to stick to.
Tip #3 – Protect Your Skull
I know this tip may sound obvious, but I can’t emphasize it enough!
Your skull may be vulnerable during many daily activities, such as biking. Even tripping over a cat toy can damage your brain!
Learn from my mistake. About 5 years ago, I was in a bad bike crash. I was riding my bike at night time on a trail on my way back from work.
I hit a wooden gate in the dark and landed headfirst. While I was very lucky to not have brain damage, I’ll never take my skull for granted again.
Here are some ways to prevent damage to your skull:
- Where an approved helmet while doing sports (e.g. football or skiing)
- Use handrails while using stairs (and have a firm grip!).
- Remove items that can cause falls in your home, such as shoes in the hallway.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about medications that can cause poor balance.
- Use a strong, sturdy stepladder or ladder that doesn’t wobble.
While it might take some retraining of your habits to avoid brain injuries, it is very much worth it.
An estimated 5.3 million Americans have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Do your best to protect your brain.
Tip #4 – Maintain a Healthy Weight
When it comes to good brain health, who would’ve thought a cheeseburger and fries could play a role?
Scientists don’t yet fully understand why obesity harms brain health so badly, but the fact is that it does.
Research has shown that obesity affects the executive function skills of both children and adults. Bad brain health isn’t just an old person’s thing – it affects the young and old alike.
The relationship between obesity and brain health is so strong that scientists have even investigated the effects of obese mothers being pregnant.
Here are some general ways to maintain a healthy weight:
- Eat a Mediterranean-style diet rich in whole foods.
- Replace soda with sparkling water or just have water (add lime or lemon for flavor).
- Eating healthier versions of foods that you crave.
- Start an exercise program or routine.
- Eat healthy fats that satiate your hunger, such as almond butter.
- Stay hydrated.
Tip #5 – Hit the Sauna
This tip is perhaps my favorite! I’m a bit obsessed with saunas and have gone at least a couple of times per week for the past 6 years.
Turns out, the sauna boasts a myriad of health benefits that can improve your brain health.
Here are a few of the sauna’s brain health benefits:
- Improved sound discrimination.
- Increased physiological attention efficiency.
- Increased alpha brain waves.
- Improved mood and cognition.
While there is limited research on the benefits of using a sauna, the evidence of its positive effects is mounting more and more.
Types of Sauna
In general, there are three types of sauna: infrared, steam room, and dry sauna.
Infrared light saunas are great for anti-aging and producing collagen in the skin. They’re cooler compared to a traditional sauna and work by emitting red light waves.
Steam rooms are great because breathing in the steam helps to clear up congestion. The temperature is about the same as a traditional sauna but feels a lot hotter due to the humidity.
The traditional sauna is a classic and has been enjoyed for thousands of years. It can be dated back to the Finns of Scandinavia as well as native American tribes.
Warning: Remember to be careful in the sauna and consult with a licensed health professional before using it.
Tip #6 – High-Quality Socialization
While it’s obvious that isolating yourself is bad for mental health, high-quality socialization can physiologically improve your brain health.
In contrast, being chronically isolated and lonely has been shown to increase the risk of dementia by 50%!
Look, I’m an introvert, but even I admit that it is a must for human survival. A good sense of community is just as important as our other survival needs: water, shelter, and food.
In the old days, if you didn’t have a community, you got eaten by a sabertooth tiger or a pack of wolves. Humans still need to connect with a tribe.
The Modern World Isolates Us
I don’t know about you, but our world has become more isolated than ever before. While technology and modern living have brought mankind many great gifts, there is a dark side.
Various types of internet addiction and the degeneration of morals in Western society cause each person to become more individualist.
Being part of a tribe isn’t as valued as it used to be.
Oh, speaking of tribes. Have you ever noticed in documentaries (or in person) how happy tribal people seem to be across the world?
Tribes value their sense of community. In fact, they do everything together! We sure can learn a lot from them regarding socialization.
Tip #7 – Eat Leafy greens
Look, I’m not a natural veggie lover, but I would do you a massive disservice by leaving vegetables off of this list. It’s an incredible habit that will improve your brain health.
Seriously, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables work wonders for brain health.
They protect your brain from evil free radicals – the DNA-destroying chemicals that destroy healthy brain cells.
Here are a few benefits of leafy greens:
- Rich in brain-boosting nutrients, such as vitamins E and K.
- Rich in antioxidants.
- Slows age-related cognitive decline.
- High in anti-inflammatory flavanols.
If you’re like me and not a natural veggie lover, I can attest that there are delicious ways to incorporate leafy greens into your diet and improve your brain health.
Sneaky ways to put leafy greens into your diet include berry smoothies, greens juice, greens powder, or sneak them into desserts.
You really won’t notice a handful of greens inside of healthy chocolate brownies!
Tip #8 – Limit Alcohol
You may not like this tip, I get it, but the truth must be spoken. Sure, I enjoy a beer sometimes, but having a healthy brain is more important.
While a glass of wine does contain some polyphenols, alcohol in general wreaks havoc on the brain.
While the short-term effects of alcohol on the brain are obvious, I’m talking more about long-term damaging effects.
Alcohol kills brain cells and damages cellular networks in the brain. In addition, heavy drinking shrinks the nerve cells. That can lead to lasting severe effects on the brain.
Healthy Alternatives to Alcohol
Fortunately, there are some satisfying alternatives to alcohol.
My suggestions are kava, sparkling water, and kombucha. Those are the only alternatives that I’ve personally benefited from, but I’m sure there might be more.
Kava is good tasting and produces similar effects to alcohol with far less of negative effects. It is a central nervous system suppressant, so you have to be careful and go easy on it.
Sparkling water is just the best. It tastes like soda without all the junk in it and has a sparkling sensation that is comparable to champagne. It normally has zero calories and I love to have it while doing intermittent fasting.
Kombucha is my favorite! It’s typically very low in sugar and is very relaxing to drink. It’s the perfect alternative to late-night booze and tastes like soda.
Tip #9 – Control Your Blood Pressure
You may think of high blood pressure as just a heart problem, but it affects far more than just the heart. Keeping your blood pressure in check is crucial if you want to improve your brain health.
High blood pressure is scary because it can do damage for years until symptoms begin to appear.
Why’s it bad for the brain? Poor blood flow.
Good circulation is the jet fuel for the brain that makes it healthy and puts you in a high-performance state.
Poor blood flow to the brain can drastically increase the risk of vascular dementia – the horrific disease that robs people of their valuable cognition.
A single stroke (or multiple small strokes) can cause vascular dementia, which again, is linked to high blood pressure.
Are you scared yet? You should be. Use that fear to incentivize positive actions.
The only thing that I can recommend if you have high blood pressure is to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Here are some tips to help prevent high blood pressure:
- Eat a healthy diet rich in whole foods.
- Have a regular exercise routine.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce stress.
- Avoid alcohol as much as possible.
- Quit smoking.
Tip # 10 – Nurture Your Emotions
While negative emotions are just feelings, they do create a physiological component that is damaging to the brain and body.
Stress, depression, anxiety, and other negative emotions have a physical counterpart. They make you a weaker, dumber, and unhealthier version of yourself.
Negative emotions can also rob you of some of the other tips in this blog post. If you’re extremely negative, you might not take the action steps needed to get help for high blood pressure or quit smoking.
A powerful way to take care of your emotional well-being is to have an empowering morning ritual.
How do most people start their day? By reacting and being frustrated with the demands of that day.
Man, I don’t know about you, but that’s no way to live life. Life is an incredible gift that you could lose at any moment. Don’t take it for granted.
If you’d like to learn more about creating a positive morning ritual, I recommend checking out this blog post for ideas. It’s some great morning ritual ideas from my life coach Stefan James.
I could list many ways to increase positive emotions, but a simple morning ritual is what helped me the most.
Recap
There you have it! Having better brain health is as easy as creating one simple habit. Then, once you’ve mastered that and it becomes automatic, create a new habit. Baby steps, baby! Baby steps.
If you’d like to learn some more tips that involve improving your brain power, check out this blog post here.
Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before implementing these tips. This post is for educational purposes only.