WondrTips: Brain Health

1.  Eat brain-healthy foods

The brain consumes 20% of our daily caloric intake, meaning a fifth of what you eat goes straight to powering your brain!

We have to fuel our brain properly in order to do, well, anything. Incorporating brain-healthy foods is easy and tasty. Some foods that nourish your brain include eggs, berries, fish, avocados, beans, oatmeal, and our favorites—dark chocolate and coffee!

Try a new recipe like an oatmeal breakfast smoothie or a classic avocado toast to fuel your brain. (But remember, wait to try these new recipes when you’re at a hunger level three!)

2.  Increase your physical activity

Regular physical activity increases your blood flow, which increases the amount of oxygen your brain gets. This oxygen boost improves your brain’s performance by allowing it to grow new cells and connect the ones it already has.

Physical activity also takes coordination of your body parts, giving your brain its very own workout. To incorporate more movement into your day, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, go on a walk during your lunch break, or do some calf raises while you brush your teeth.

3.  Expand your knowledge

Learning new skills and information improves your brain function, increases your learning speed, helps you adapt to change, and can even reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Even if you’ve been out of school for decades, learning is possible every day. You can learn a new language, learn to play a musical instrument, read more books, or challenge your brain with a sudoku puzzle. Over time, these brain-stimulating activities will really boost your brain function.

4.  Rest your brain

Your brain has a full-time job, and it needs a break more than once in a while. Without rest, the brain can’t perform to its full capacity, and it will fatigue quickly.

About 35% of American adults are sleep deprived. According to sleep expert Dr. James Maas, if sitting in a warm room, drinking a small amount of alcohol, or eating a heavy meal make you drowsy, chances are you’re not sleeping enough.

Consistently getting enough sleep will improve your productivity at work and help you come up with new ideas. Other relaxation methods like meditation and yoga can also help you rest up, de-stress, and enhance your concentration, memory, and focus.

The brain is powerful but can be fragile, too. By being mindful of your diet, exercise, learning, and rest, you can maximize the power of your brain.