“The mind of man is capable of anything.” –Joseph Conrad
There are certain things you and I have learned to do to take care of our bodies. These include brushing our teeth, washing hands, wearing sunscreen in the sun, eating a balanced diet, and trying to fit in regular exercise. There is so much knowledge about how to keep the body physically healthy! In like manner, new research has yielded valuable information about things that can be done to promote a healthy brain. In recent years, research on the brain has made leaps and bounds, and has impacted my practice for the better. Much of what I do–especially helping clients who are battling anxiety, depression, or other diagnosable mental illnesses–is impacted by this research. It can positively impact you, too. Today I want to share some of the findings that will help promote a healthy brain.
The benefits of keeping the brain healthy are innumerable. The following action list will not only help keep your brain young and healthy, but also positively impact other parts of your body, health, and life in general. Read the list, then consider one or two things you can start doing today to rejuvenate your brain. Your brain ten years from now will thank you!
- Mental stimulation. Keep learning and challenging your brain. Mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Any mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. You can try reading, taking courses, trying word puzzles or math problems…even Sudoku! Similarly, experiment with activities that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting, and other crafts.
- STAY HEALTHY! Taking care of your body will adversely promote a healthy brain. So exercise; it will lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce stress. Meditate. Eat healthy foods; a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, low in saturated fat, full of the nutrients found in leafy green vegetables, along with whole grains can help keep your brain healthy throughout your life. Get quality sleep; give your brain a rest by shutting it off for 7-9 hours a night. This is when it will reset, heal, and be restored to full health. Avoid tobacco, drugs, alcohol and other harmful substances that alter how the brain functions. Be sure to care for your emotions (read: self-care). A “reset” or self-care/personal time is everything for managing the emotions that affect both mind and body!
- Prioritize brain space. I am guilty of expending precious mental energy remembering where I put my phone or remembering what was on my mental grocery list. The suggestion here is to take advantage of calendars and planners, maps, shopping lists, file folders, and address books to keep routine information accessible. This way it is easier to concentrate on learning and remembering new and important things.
- Repetition, repetition, repetition! When you want to remember something you have just heard, read, or thought about, repeat it out loud or write it down. That way, you reinforce the memory or connection. (If you just met Emily, for example, use her name when getting to know her better: “So, Emily, where did you meet your husband?”)
- Be social. When you are socializing, the blood circulates to several different parts of your brain as you are listening and formulating responses. Strong social ties have been associated with a lower risk of dementia, as well as lower blood pressure and longer life expectancy. So get off your phone, Instagram and Netflix, and go interact with your friends!
- Protect your head. Head injuries increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Wear a helmet when you are biking, skiing, snowboarding, rafting, horseback riding, scootering, using a motorcycle, or any other activity that could potentially result in a head injury.
- Think positively. There is a well-known effect in the psychology of education referred to as the “Pygmalion effect.” If you set high standards for yourself and believe that achieving them is possible, they become possible. Thinking positive thoughts has a profound impact on the brain!
Take charge of your brain health. Everyday you and I make choices that affect the health of our brains both today and in the future. Prepare now for a healthy, happy future by exercising your brain and your body, meditating, ingesting healthy foods, getting quality sleep, and thinking positively. As always, should you have questions, or if you feel you would like to talk about your mental health, I invite you to contact me or schedule a session with me personally. My door is always open.
Melissa Cluff is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Lewisville, Texas, personally seeing clients in the North Dallas area.
Resources:
- Cluff Counseling: “ADHD at a Glance”
- Cluff Counseling: “Are You Addicted to Your Phone?”
- Cluff Counseling: “Are You Are Just A Worrywart or is it Something More?”
- Cluff Counseling: “Creating Conversation Around Your Mental Illness”
- Cluff Counseling: “Depression is Not a Life Sentence”
- Cluff Counseling: “Different Yet the Same: OCD & OCPD”
- Cluff Counseling: “The Early Indicators of Mental Illness”
- Cluff Counseling: “Eating Disorders 101”
- Cluff Counseling: “The Key to Slowing Down in a Fast-Paced World”
- Cluff Counseling: “Living With Anxiety: 5 Suggestions to Thrive”
- Cluff Counseling: “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder At a Glance”
- Cluff Counseling: “Phobias: When Fear Becomes Debilitating”
- Cluff Counseling: “Practical Ways to Practice Mental Hygiene”
- Cluff Counseling: “Self-care: Is it Selfish?”
- Cluff Counseling: “Sleep…It Does a Body Good!”
- Cluff Counseling: “SPLIT: A Deeper Look into Multiple Personalities”
- Cluff Counseling: “The Swinging Pendulum of Bipolar Disorder”
- Cluff Counseling: “Taking the Stigma Out of Mental Illness”
- Cluff Counseling: “Trichotillomania: The Hair-Pulling Urge”
- Cluff Counseling: “The Truth About Men and Depression”
- Dana Foundation: “Brain Awareness Week”
- Dana Foundation: “Brain Awareness Week Facts and Figures”
- Dana Foundation Blog: “Brain Awareness Week 2019 is Coming”
- Federation of European Neuroscience Societies: “Brain Awareness Week”
- Harvard Health: “6 simple steps to keep your mind sharp at any age”
- Harvard Health: “12 ways to keep your brain young”
- Psychology Today: “10 Ways to Improve Your Brain Health”
- Psychology Today: “25 Fun and Helpful Quotations About the Human Mind”
- Society for Neuroscience: “A Worldwide Celebration with Scientists, Families, Schools, and Communities.”
- Washington Education: “Brain Awareness Week”
- WebMD: “How to Keep Your Brain Fit”
- Wikipedia: “Brain Awareness Week”
