10 Ways to Improve Brain Performance and Stay Mentally Healthy

                  10 Ways to Improve Brain Performance and Stay Mentally Healthy

If you want to enhance your brain’s performance and maintain mental health, you need to stretch your brain’s ability and challenge it constantly. Cultivate mental fitness by continuously challenging yourself, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and seeking knowledge as much as you can. Here are ten ways to improve your brain performance and protect your brain health. 

Play Games 

Playing games in one of the best ways of boosting your brain health. It gives your brain a mental workout by encouraging you to utilize your problem-solving skills, mental reasoning, and thinking skills. Play games like Sudoku, Scrabble, and Crossword puzzles. Playing games is especially beneficial for elderly people. As you age, your brain cells decrease, this could lead to mental decline and could eventually lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Playing games regularly could reduce the risk of brain deterioration. 

 

2.Meditation 

Meditation promotes mindfulness and self-reflection. It calms the mind and relaxes the body, it also reduces stress and reduces negative thinking. High stress can affect your brain performance, it can also lead to mental health issues if not tackled effectively. Therefore, to improve brain performance and to boost mental health, meditate for at least 10 minutes a day. 

3. Eat Healthy Foods 

Consume plenty of healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, drink plenty of water, and pay particular attention to your omega 3’s. Omega 3 fatty acids are crucial for brain health, omega 3 rich foods include salmon and mackerel and other oily fish. Vegetarians should consume flaxseeds, walnuts, and avocados. 

4. Tell Interesting Stories 

Tell stories, interesting engaging stories. Studies have shown that telling stories boosts brain capacity and increases the size of the hippocampus which is the part of the brain that is responsible for retaining memories. Telling stories can help you to avoid dementia and memory deterioration as you age. 

5. Turn off the Television 

Turning off the television is crucial, yes spending time with your family and friends watching your favorite shows is fine however, being glued to the television is not healthy for the brain. Instead, read, go for walks, spend time in nature, talk to your friends and family, play games. Stimulate your mind and challenge yourself instead of mindlessly watching television for hours. 

6. Physical Exercise 

Exercise is crucial for your mental health, run, walk, dance; get your body moving on a regular basis. People that live a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to experience mental decline as they age. They are also more likely to experience mental health issues like depression and anxiety. 

7. Change Your Reading Habits 

Reading is a powerful brain training tool however, you can enhance the power of reading by changing the types of books you read. Instead of reading your usual romance novels, consider picking up a science fiction book or nonfiction or wildlife book. Experiencing new things expands the mind and gives your brain a workout. 

8. Learn Something New 

When you learn something new it encourages the brain to form new neural pathways. Challenge your brain by learning something new every week. Take a sewing class, learn how to skate, take a drawing class, learn a new language. Learning something new will boost your mental health and reduce your chances of getting dementia or Alzheimers in the future. 

 

9. Make Simple Changes 

The daily routine is good, it reduces anxiety and gives you structure and purpose. However, when you stick to the same old routine for too long, your brain begins to relax. Therefore, change something, drink a different brand of coffee, change your style, wear a new hairstyle, change your walking route. Make simple changes and strengthen your brain. 

10. Brain Training 

Brain training is a very effective way of strengthening the brain and boosting your mental health. There are lots of brain training apps and games online to stimulate you mentally and intellectually. 

Bottom Line 

Your brain is a muscle, if you don’t use it, you will lose it, it is that simple. Challenge yourself, learn new things, change your routine, eat healthily, get plenty of exercise, tell stories, and boost your mental capacity. As you age, it becomes more and more important to challenge your brain and learn new ways of doing things.