While you may know that it’s important to exercise your body, did you know that it’s also important to exercise your mind? The brain’s structure allows it to change based on our experiences. As you learn new things, you are making your brain stronger and more adaptable to change. Here are some tips to increase your mental alertness and unlock the power of your brain:
- Do crosswords and puzzles. Challenging games and puzzles like Sudoku are brain stimulants. Answer all of the questions you know and look up any answers that you don’t.
- Aside from it being a cool trick to recite your favorite poem or passage at a moment’s notice, memorization is an excellent way to strengthen your mind muscle. Set a goal to memorize a poem each week.
- Read slowly. In a technological world where we get bits of information at our fingertips, it is easy to miss details. Select an article or short story and take the time to read each sentence and process all of the information.
- Healthy eating. Vitamins such as B12 and folic acid help your brain function more efficiently and increases mental sharpness. My fuelings and green leafy vegetables are a good source of these nutrients.
- A few minutes for daily meditation can increase your focus, concentration, and creativity. Taking a few deep breaths also helps to replenish your blood-oxygen levels.
- Drink water. We hear all the time that our bodies are 70% water, but our brains alone are more than 85% water! Water helps optimize brain function along with maintaining hydration.
These are just a few ways to keep your brain refreshed and on point. Healthy Habits are rooted in the way you think. Strengthening your mind goes a long way towards making your health journey a success!