How to Have a Healthy Brain: The Basics Explained

As life expectancies rise, so do cases of dementia. Experts estimate that 55 million people worldwide have some form of dementia, and that number continues to climb each year.

Whether you’re young or old, it’s never too early (or too late) to think about improving your brain health. The question is: Where do you start?

Keep reading for four expert tips on how to have a healthy brain.

1. Get Up & Move More

One in four Americans sits for more than eight hours a day — and that was before the pandemic hit. Other studies reveal that our sedentary lifestyles shorten our lifespan by harming our hearts and our minds.

What’s the takeaway? Simply put, you need to be more active. Inactivity is the single biggest contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease, which is startling when you consider how easy it is to combat.

Even moderate amounts of aerobic exercise boost brain health by reducing inflammation and promoting the growth of neural cells. Try to fit in 150 minutes of exercise each week, even if it’s just a brisk evening walk around your neighborhood.

2. Prioritize a Healthy Diet

There’s no single consensus on the “best” diet for a healthy mind, but it’s reasonable to conclude that what’s beneficial for the rest of your body is also beneficial for your brain health.

Cut back on (or eliminate) processed foods and refined sugar. Add more brain-healthy foods to your diet including berries, leafy greens, nuts, and fatty fish. Many people have success following a Mediterranean diet, which features less red meat and less salt than the average American diet.

3. Keep Your Mind Active

As we age and especially after retirement, it’s easy to slip into routines that provide little mental stimulation. Like every other part of our bodies, when we don’t use something, we “lose” it.

Keep your mind sharp by continuing to learn new things. Stimulate your mind by working on art projects, learning to play a musical instrument, or taking up another hobby you enjoy. You could even tackle larger goals like learning a foreign language or taking an extended trip abroad.

What about the best games for your brain? Check out these fun and engaging brain games from Pennydellpuzzles.com to keep your mind as sharp as a tack.

4. Get Plenty of Rest

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body doesn’t have the chance to rest and regenerate. Over time, this can increase your risk of heart, brain, and other health problems.

Interestingly, deep sleep helps to clear your mind (quite literally) of debris that otherwise builds up and could cause problems later on. Sleep is also key in battling anxiety, stress, and other factors that contribute to mental disease.

Be sure to get at least seven or eight hours of zzz’s every night — your brain will thank you for it!

Now You Know How to Have a Healthy Brain

Taking care of your brain goes hand-in-hand with taking care of your overall health. Nix those bad habits and adopt the healthier habits listed above and you’ll have a healthy mind for years to come.

Now that we’ve discussed how to have a healthy brain, what’s next? Keep browsing our site for more interesting health-related articles.