While it’s important to ensure that our physical bodies remain healthy to avoid health complications when we get older, it’s also important to not neglect our brain’s health.

We may start noticing that we forget things more easily, such as where we parked our car or where we left our phones – which are not the most significant things, but if we start forgetting more serious things like our home addresses, or being unable to recollect significant events, these may be a cause for concern.

Therefore, it’s imperative that we keep our brains healthy. Here are some ways to go about this, according to psychology. 

1) Eat nourishing meals.

Eating well-balanced and healthy foods helps nourish our bodies and provide us with the necessary nutrients to function. 

The same goes for our brains. When we eat foods that help our brain function better, this helps stave or slow down cognitive decline as we age.

There are many diets out there that claim to be better for you than others and there isn’t a right-size-fits-all all approach. Taking into consideration your health and any and all intolerances to certain foods, these are general guidelines you should stick to:

• Staying away from processed foods
• Staying away from refined sugar
• Staying sufficiently hydrated
• Eating sufficiently (not under-eating or overeating)

Planning your meals can help you ensure that you have a healthy diet, as opposed to grabbing the most convenient meal to stave your hunger – such as frozen foods, fast foods, or unhealthy snacks.

Incorporating a healthy diet allows the right nutrients to fuel your brain and ensure it remains sharp even as you age.

2) Lead an active lifestyle.

You’d be surprised that exercise doesn’t only prolong your physical well-being, it also goes a long way in helping your brain stay healthy. 

Studies show that exercising drives the development of new nerve cells and improves cognitive function, allowing your brain to remain nimble and efficient in processing information. This thus translates to better performance and resistance towards cognitive decline.

Moreover, leading an active lifestyle will also lower your blood pressure and help alleviate stress. Together, these provide a good environment for your brain to function better. 

If you’re new to exercise, try going on short walks and increasing the distance and time once your body is accustomed to this. Walking can also be a form of relaxation, as you take in the sights around you and allow yourself time to think, and listen to music or a podcast.

Incorporating about half an hour to 45 minutes of exercise three times a day is likely enough for you to ensure your brain remains healthy.

3) Maintaining good social connections.

You may be wondering, what does having a close network of friends have to do with brain health?

Well, it has everything to do with it!

Psychology states that maintaining social connections and participating in social activities will keep your brain active and engaged, with some studies indicating that these activities are likely to improve cognitive function. 

This also prevents you from feeling isolated by ensuring that you have a network of support to lean on, especially during challenging times.

If you do not have the habit of doing this, try scheduling a meet-up with family or friends once a week. If you’re not up to such frequent meetings, why not start by sending them a text or giving them a call?

If you don’t have many friends, why not volunteer at a local organization or explore interest groups within your community? This can help create social connections based on a shared cause or similar interests and help you maintain a social circle.

Frequent interactions can also stimulate brain activity through processing information and learning how to communicate effectively.

Therefore, keep your friends close if you want to ensure your brain stays sharp!

4) Learn how to relax.

Life can get very stressful and we may be so overwhelmed with anxiety that we don’t know how to let it go.

While in the short term, stress can drive us to take action, chronic stress can have significant impacts on the brain. It could impact our memory and increase the risk of dementia. 

Here are some ways you can manage stress and build up your resilience, according to psychology:

1. Frequent exercise to enhance mental and physical well-being
2. Journaling to process our thoughts and emotions, while being mindful of how we react to situations
3. Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and being present in every moment.

Sometimes, we may struggle to completely let go of our problems even as we’re exercising or journaling. This is why it’s important to be mindful of our thoughts actively remove negative ones, and replace them with positivity.

5) Get adequate sleep.

It’s highly likely that you’re not getting the full recommended 7 hours of sleep – and so are the rest of us. 

But did you know that having a good night’s sleep is one of the most effective ways to improve brain function and your ability to retain knowledge? 

Sleep helps to clear the mind and ensure that the brain can retain its cognitive function while learning new things. 

However, some people have trouble sleeping well because of poor sleep hygiene.

As a general rule, try to limit your intake of caffeine, impose a ban on technology an hour before sleep, and ensure that your bedroom provides a conducive environment to facilitate a good night’s rest.

From the choice of mattress, and pillows, and even how opaque your curtains are – these contribute greatly to your quality of sleep.

And investing in a good night’s rest can provide many good returns in the form of reduced stress, being able to wake up rejuvenated, with the energy to take on the demands of the day.

Therefore, getting adequate sleep will do wonders for your brain’s health.

6) Limit alcohol and avoid smoking.

Lastly, try to limit the amount of alcohol you take in, and avoid smoking altogether.

Lifestyle factors can play a significant role in influencing brain health, as they can directly result in a decline in your ability to think or perform everyday tasks.

Too much alcohol can inhibit and slow down your thought processes and can increase the risk of getting dementia. If possible, stay off alcohol, but if you do have to drink, limit yourself to two drinks a day. 

Concluding thoughts

Just like how one invests their finances for the long-term, we should also invest in our mental well-being and take care of how we treat our bodies. 

We may not feel the immediate effects of our bad habits, but over time, this can lead to a general decline in our brain health. By the time we notice this when we grow older, it may be too late to undo what we have been subjecting our bodies to for years.

So it’s not too late to replace your current habits with better ones – just make sure you stick to them!