Cognitive function boosting strategies -
Focus on biomarkers associated with cognition Glucose As the "pilot" of the body, your brain rightfully requires quite a bit of energy. Cortisol Elevated levels of cortisol aka the stress hormone take proportionately high tolls on your body and brain.
Follow the MIND Diet The MIND diet is a hybrid of the popular Mediterranean and DASH Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension, aka high blood pressure diets, with a major focus on the foods and nutrients best known to protect the brain. Studies show that the MIND diet significantly slows the rate of cognitive decline.
Eat more fish or take a fish oil supplement The MIND diet emphasizes the consumption of fish because of its high concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eat foods high in flavonoids Flavonoids act as powerful antioxidants in the body and brain.
Get regular physical activity Physical activity is one of the most well-researched changes you can make to increase your brainpower. Studies show that adding minutes of moderate-intensity activity to your daily routine can increase cognitive performance.
Play brain games Yes, the regular completion of brain games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, or even video games is associated with a brainpower boost. References: [1] Morris MC, Tangney CC,, Wang Y3, Sacks FM, Barnes LL, Bennett DA,, Aggarwal NT.
A systematic review. More on this topic. Manage Your Mind with These Three Strategies from Dr. Caroline Leaf By Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD , April 21, Chasing Your Big, Wild, Audacious Goals: A Letter from Olympian Shalane Flanagan By Shalane Flanagan , April 9, Slowing Down to Speed Up: Olympian Tianna Bartoletta's Bedtime Routine for Improved Performance By Tianna Bartoletta , April 5, Longevity by Design The Podcast.
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This in turn may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration. The brain is always active, even during sleep. However, certain activities can engage the brain in new ways, potentially leading to improvements in memory, cognitive function, or creativity.
Meditation generally involves focusing attention in a calm, controlled way. Meditating may have multiple benefits for both the brain and the body. Visualization involves forming a mental image to represent information. The mental image may be in the form of pictures or animated scenes. A review notes that visualization helps people organize information and make appropriate decisions.
People can practice visualization in their day-to-day lives. For example, before going shopping, people can visualize how they will get to and from the grocery store, and imagine what they will buy when they get there.
The key is to imagine the scenes vividly and in as much detail as possible. Playing card games or board games can be a fun way to socialize or pass the time. These activities may also be beneficial for the brain. A study found a link between playing games and a decreased risk of cognitive impairment in older adults.
They are a simple and fun way to engage the brain and activate areas related to pattern recognition and recall. Crossword puzzles are a popular activity that may stimulate the brain. An older study from notes that crossword puzzles may delay the onset of memory decline in people with preclinical dementia.
Completing a jigsaw puzzle can be a good way to pass the time and may also benefit the brain. A study found that puzzles activate many cognitive functions, including:.
The study concluded that doing jigsaw puzzles regularly and throughout life may protect against the effects of brain aging. Number puzzles, such as sudoku, can be a fun way to challenge the brain. They may also improve cognitive function in some people.
A study of adults aged between 50 and 93 years found that those who practiced number puzzles more frequently tended to have better cognitive function. A meta-analysis notes that chess and other cognitive leisure activities may lead to improvements in:.
A review notes that some types of video games — such as action, puzzle, and strategy games — may lead to improvements in the following:. Enjoying company of friends may be a mentally engaging leisure activity and may help preserve cognitive function.
A study found that people with more frequent social contact were less likely to experience cognitive decline and dementia. A study of older adults found that learning a new and cognitively demanding skill, such as quilting or photography, enhanced memory function. A simple way to increase vocabulary is to read a book or watch a TV program and note down any words that are unfamiliar.
A person can then use a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word and think up ways to use the word in a sentence. A review notes that bilingualism increases and strengthens connectivity between different areas of the brain. A study published in Brain Sciences found that listening to music a person enjoys engages and connects different parts of the brain.
The researchers propose that this may lead to improvements in cognitive function and overall well-being. According to a study , playing an instrument may benefit cognitive development in a young brain and help protect against cognitive impairment in an aging brain.
Such hobbies may include:. Regular physical exercise is beneficial for both the brain and the body. Authors of a review note that exercise improves the following aspects of brain health:.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , exercise has beneficial effects on the following aspects of cognitive health:. Dance is a form of exercise that may also engage areas of the brain involved in rhythm and balance. Certain sports are both physically and mentally demanding.
Some require a range of cognitive skills, such as:. A review notes that elite athletes who participate in high demand sports tend to have improved attention and faster information processing speeds.
Tai chi is a form of physical exercise that involves gentle body movements, rhythmic breathing, and meditation. A study compared brain function and connectivity among tai chi practitioners and those who did not practice it.
The researchers found that the tai chi practitioners had enhanced connectivity between different regions of their brain. They proposed that this may improve cognition and decrease the rate of memory loss.
While not necessarily an active exercise, sleep is crucial for both the brain and the body. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night, although many people get less sleep than they need. A review notes that sleep has been proven to:.
As such, making sure to get enough sleep each night is an important step toward maintaining a healthy brain. Brain exercises can be as simple as actively engaging the brain in everyday tasks.
Others are targeted workouts for the brain, specifically designed to enhance memory, cognition, or creativity. Exercising the brain may help improve brain function and boost connectivity between the different areas.
This may help protect the brain from age-related degeneration. People are likely to differ in terms of the brain exercises they find most enjoyable. It may be a good idea to try a range of brain-training activities at first and to stick with those that provide the most enjoyment or reward. Try using your non-dominant hand for things like brushing teeth or eating.
High-intensity and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise are not just good for your heart. Exercise improves your mood and cardiac function, reduces stress, and makes you more mentally alert. Read more about the benefits of exercise.
Eating healthy—lots of fruit, vegetables, healthy oils, fish and minimizing junk food and fatty meats—is critical for brain health. Vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, and some berries, improve memory and overall brain function.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and some grains help prevent inflammation, preserve cognitive function, and prevent depression, stress and anxiety. Protein contains high levels of amino acids, which in turn cause neurons to produce neurotransmitters associated with mental alertness.
The Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and MIND diet have all shown a positive impact on cognition and healthy brain functioning. Poor sleep is one of the biggest causes of reduced concentration and memory functioning. Scientists believe that sleep helps clear abnormal proteins in your brain and consolidates memories, boosting your overall memory and brain health.
Adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep nightly to benefit and perform at their cognitive peak each day. When possible, try to get consecutive hours of sleep per night, not fragmented sleep of two- or three-hour increments.
Getting consecutive hours gives your brain the time to consolidate and store your memories effectively. Read more on healthy sleep. High blood pressure increases the risk of cognitive decline. Simple lifestyle modifications will help keep your blood pressure as low as possible and cholesterol at an appropriate level.
Diet, exercise, weight control, limiting alcohol and avoiding tobacco will go a long way toward improving both. If you need help making changes to support a healthier lifestyle, ask your doctor. Diabetes is a significant risk factor for dementia.
Like lowering your blood pressure or controlling cholesterol, you can help prevent diabetes by eating right, exercising regularly, and staying lean. Maintaining your blood sugar levels will also help with sugar crashes, which can cause brain fogginess. Stress can affect mood, memory and promote anxiety.
Engaging in weekly stress reduction exercises will improve your overall sense of calm. Intermittent and long-term stress impacts the brain negatively and has even been linked to inflammation and chronic illness.
November Diabetic-friendly sweeteners for chocolates, Straategies You. Keeping your brain Italian olive oil is essential to living a long and healthy life. Use it or lose it—your brain, that is. Our brain changes with age, and mental function changes along with it. But cognitive impairment is not inevitable.
New research shows little risk of infection from prostate biopsies. Cognitive function boosting strategies at strqtegies is linked to high blood Coggnitive. Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? Every brain changes with age, and mental function changes along with it. Mental decline is common, and it's one of the most feared consequences of aging. But cognitive impairment is not inevitable. 
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