Sleep
Getting enough sleep is important for your brain to work optimally. When you are deprived of sleep, your brain lags; this may affect your creativity, thinking, cognitive functioning, problem solving capacity and memory. At least eight hours of sleep is recommended every day for adults to boost brain power. Turn off any electronics at least thirty minutes before settling in bed to avoid stimulation of your brain before bed time. You can also take short power naps during the day if you feel like you did not get enough sleep.
Regular Physical Exercise
Physical exercise can help with the flow of oxygen to your brain, which will then help it function better. Physical exercises also help to improve your overall mood as well as protect your brain cells. Dance, martial arts, brisk walking, weight lifting, simple aerobic exercises will increase your heart rate, which gets blood flowing to your brain, thus keeping your memory sharp.
Eat
Not just any food, but nutritious food to enhance your brain power. Leafy green vegetables, fish, whole grain, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, eggs, antioxidant rich berries, avocado and tomatoes are some of the brain boosting food you can indulge in. Also ensure you drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and complex carbohydrates help boost brain power.
Meditation
One of the many benefits of meditation is its impact on brain function. Meditation can help to retrain the brain to work better. It increases mindfulness and concentration. You can find a place to sit quietly in the mornings. And even if it’s just for fifteen minutes, focus on breathing in and breathing out, making sure your thoughts are gently being directed by you. Meditation reduces stress and anxiety levels. Mindful meditation can delay cognitive decline and prevent diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Reduce Stress
Remember to relax. Stress contributes to memory loss and the destruction of brain cells. To relax, have a time out with friends, declutter your mind, visit relatives, read a book. Just generally find a way to let down your hair and keep out distractions.
Learn a New Craft / Hobby
You could take an interest in photography, sewing or coding. Taking out time to learn a new interest or hobby can be a powerful way to enhance your brain power. Learning to play a musical instrument, a second or third language might be the boost your brain needs to enhance motor control, hearing and critical thinking skills.
Listen
Any time you find yourself involved in activities that require communication, practice your deep listening skills by focusing your mind and thoughts on what is being said. Take a pause, deep breaths, allow the words you hear settle into your mind, listen with your heart; notice how the words make you feel before you give a response.
Take Deep Breaths Regularly
Deep breathing helps to increase blood flow and oxygen levels, which in turn help your brain to function better. Take deep breaths into the bottom of your lungs, feel the air expanding your belly, then your chest and your lungs before breathing out.
Herbs and Aromatherapy
Consider applying the oils directly onto your skin or use diffusers to aerate the oil. You can try rosemary oils for mental clarity and alertness, peppermint and basil oil to increase focus. Periwinkle and ginseng herbs may also improve cognitive functions. Gotu kola herb as well is considered to be an adaptogen, which means it can lower stress and boost brain power
Quit Multi-Tasking
Focus and concentrate on a single task at a time. Some people feel multi-tasking can make them get more work done in a short time. While this maybe true, multi-tasking also has the negative effect of confusing your brain. The brain needs about eight seconds to process a piece of information to your memory. So if you are talking on the phone, trying to take the trash out while also trying to cook dinner, chances are you may forget to complete one or more of these tasks. Make it a point of duty to concentrate on one task at a time.
Organize Your Space
If your living area is a mess, you are more likely to forget where you keep some of your things. It might be a good idea to declutter. Have a yard sale if you need to do so. All that mess sends the wrong signal to your brain and may make your brain lag.
Think and Speak Positively
Speak positive ideas about yourself. It may look and sound strange at first but continuous practice will make it part of your lifestyle. Believe in your brain, believe in yourself, affirm yourself in positive ways frequently. Engage in some or all of these exercises and your brain will thank you for it. Featured photo credit: Anete Lusina via unsplash.com
