You might have heard sayings like “the brain is just another muscle that you can build”. While metaphorical, there is something to the idea. You won’t be doing squats or presses to build your brain energy, there are ways that you can train and enhance the brain.
Maintaining brain health, especially as we age, is one of the best things that we can do to sustain a high quality of life. To that end, here are three steps you can take to keep your mind active at any age.
1. Get Musical
An easy first step to take is one that we all already enjoy anyway: bring more music into our lives.
A 2017 study found that listening to music that you enjoy tends to produce more innovative thought patterns and increased problem-solving capabilities than being in silence. And if you want to go a step further, learning to play an instrument can multiply the positive effects.
We can learn new skills at any stage in life. And it’s one of the best things that we can do to keep our minds limber.
Research shows that learning new skills helps improve memory and promote better brain function in older adults. By making that skill musical, you’re engaging multiple areas of the brain at once.
2. Brush Up Your Vocabulary
Language is one of the most complex functions of the human brain. So enhancing your vocabulary is a great way to keep it active.
Beyond making you sound smart, research shows that vocabulary tasks activate multiple parts of the brain, including those responsible for visual and auditory processing.
3. Feed Your Brain
We mentioned that you’ll often hear the brain compared to a muscle that needs to be trained and maintained. Well, just as an athlete eats to fuel the body, you can eat to fuel your brain.
Taking a diet rich in brain food is one of the best things that you can do to maintain your brain health. After all, you hear all the time about diets for heart health or that encourage radiant skin. Why should the brain be any different?
Some of these foods, like those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, you may have heard of. These healthy fats are associated with decreased risks of dementia and stroke, among a host of other benefits.
Other foods healthy, whole grains can help lower cholesterol and promote better cardiovascular health and blood flow throughout the body. More blood flow to the brain helps make sure that it’s getting all the oxygen and nutrients that it needs to fire on all cylinders.
And those are only two examples among many. With such a wealth of brain-stimulating foodstuffs, it can be hard to work them all into your diet. That’s why a quality brain supplement may be the right choice for you.
These supplements are specially formulated to deliver the optimal blend of antioxidants and amino acids the brain needs to improve memory, sharpen focus, and cultivate greater overall cognitive function.
Living Well to Maximize Your Brain Energy
Health and wellness strategies often fixate on aesthetic qualities like shedding weight and keeping youthful-looking skin. While every aspect of your health is important, maintaining strong brain function throughout life should be one of your highest priorities.
And these steps to enhance your brain energy are only the beginning. For more ideas on how to keep your mind sharp, and maintain lead an invigorating lifestyle overall, be sure to keep up with our latest health and wellness news and guides.
