Making Decisions About Home Care

5 Tips for Keeping Your Brain Healthy

by Mae Ferguson

Like any other part of your body, your brain needs attention and care. However, like many people, you may not fully understand what you should be doing to protect your brain. If you want to preserve your cognitive abilities, motor skills and other neurological functions, attempt to incorporate the following tips into your life.

Get Enough Sleep

A lot of people figure that they can't possibly sleep more than they do; a busy life with many responsibilities doesn't seem to be conducive to hours and hours of peaceful slumber. The truth is that sleep is essential for good brain health. There is some evidence that during sleep, the brain works to flush out accumulated toxins. If you're not getting enough sleep, not only are you robbing your brain of the chance to do that work, you're also going to be crankier and less likely to do things during waking hours that are healthy for your body and brain.

Exercise

Exercise is something that can help you in a multitude of ways, but you may not know that it's also good for your brain health. When you exercise, you increase the circulation of your blood, which means that more oxygen can be brought to your brain. Exercise results in protein synthesis that can encourage growth of new neurons while protecting existing ones.

Drink Water

So many people prefer juice, soda and other beverages to water, but water is vital for your survival. Your body is in fact mostly composed of the substance, and the brain requires water to function as it should. Your brain is actually 73% water. Therefore, if you aren't having enough during your days, you could be handicapping your brain. Ensure that you're getting enough of this essential substance.

Eat Healthy Fats

You might be hearing a lot about omega-3 fatty acids; these acids are excellent for your brain. Salmon, tuna, spinach, walnuts and other foods that contain them are important if you want to nourish your brain.

Keep Learning

Learning is another way to treat your brain right. Your brain can become stimulated and make new neural pathways when you continue to use it for learning something new and different. You may want to study a new language or learn a new skill.

With all these ways to care for your brain, you can feel confident that you're doing everything possible to protect your brain for years to come. Discussing your health with a neurologist may result in even more suggestions.

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