Boost your brain health by doing these 5 simple things right now

It was already the fourth time I was being summoned to assist “Margaret”. It was after midnight and all my other patients were fast asleep. Except for Margaret of course. Margaret was folding towels. Like clockwork, her agitation would begin as soon as she finished folding her last towel.
 
Margaret would start pacing the halls and walking into random rooms, frightening other patients awake from their deep slumbers. When she’d see me approach her, she’d become more anxious. She didn’t remember that I’d already helped her numerous times that same night. Her pleas to go home would start. Sadly, she couldn’t recall exactly where home might be. I gave her more towels as I lead her back to her room. I hoped this set of towels might keep her occupied for a bit longer this time. And so the night went, until she finally surrendered to sleep some time close to dawn. It was only a matter of time that night would fall again and the cycle would resume. Night after night.
 
Margaret is one of over 5 million people suffering with Alzheimer’s dementia.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, this number is expected to grow to 14 million by 2050. The cost of human suffering (as well as to our already overburdened healthcare system) will be staggering. Rather than simply brace ourselves for what’s to come, we need to do everything we can to prevent this wave of dementia from knocking us off our feet. We simply cannot afford to not take action.
 
Brain Health
When we think about being healthy we often focus on heart health and muscular strength. But how often do we think about brain health? Just as is the case with the rest of our bodies, if we want our brains to remain intact, we need to pay them some mind (pun definitely intended!). While our genes do play a role, more studies are showing that it may be a combination of genetics and environmental factors that cause dementia. This means that you can modify at least some of the risk factors to minimize your chances of succumbing to this terrible disease.
 
Normal aging and the brain
It’s quite normal for our memories to decline somewhat with age. Over time, small groups of dead cells accumulate in our brains. These are known as white matter lesions. Our brains also shrink a bit as we age. Furthermore, our neurons (brain messengers) may not be able to fire off as quickly or as efficiently as they once did. All of these factors can make it feel harder to learn new things. Yet all of these changes are considered to be normal parts of the aging process. These are gradual changes and the rate of progression depends on each individual.  Don’t worry though.  You won’t suddenly wake up one morning with a shrunken brain!
 
But if you're anything like me (which you probably are because you're reading this right now), preserving normal functioning of the brain for as long as possible is of utmost importance. If there are things that I can do to slow down the inevitable decline then you can bet that I’ll be doing everything in my power to do what it takes!
 
Dementia and abnormal changes
Dementia refers to abnormal changes in the brain. Alzheimer’s is actually just one type of dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe decreased cognitive functioning (specifically with memory loss), that greatly impacts quality of life and ability to function in daily life. Brain cells are damaged and judgment is impaired. Thought process and emotional regulation are affected as well. It’s a devastating, debilitating disease for both the sufferer and for their loved ones.
 
Take control
The good news is that many of the things that we need to do to keep our hearts healthy are the same things that we need to do to keep our brains healthy. 
 
Start doing these 5 things now to build up your cognitive reserves:
 

• Quit your vices

I don’t need to tell you how bad smoking and drinking are for your health. It used to be thought that alcohol kills brain cells. New studies are showing that while it doesn’t necessarily totally kill the cells, it certainly does damage to them. Alcohol is a neurotoxin, which literally means it’s toxic for your brain. Alcohol damages the neurons (brain messengers) that make it possible for your brain to function effectively.  

And don’t think that smoking is any less harmful. Smoking actually can kill your brain cells and prevent new ones from forming. Long-term smoking can affect memory, ability to plan and ability to pay attention. Add the normal aging process into the mix and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Quit today and give your brain a chance to regenerate before it’s too late!
 

• Cognitive stimulation
  

This just means exercise for the brain. Our brains crave stimulation at any age. What’s better, our brains are also capable of forming new cells at any age! But just as is the case with our muscles, we lose what we don’t use. Some examples of cognitive stimulation include: Playing puzzles, learning a new language, taking a course, listening to music, playing a musical instrument, pursuing artistic endeavors, engaging in hobbies and remaining socially active, to name a few. These are all great ways to exercise our brains. When choosing activities be sure to get the full brain boosting benefits by choosing interesting activities. Also make sure they’re challenging enough (but not too much!).

• Eat a brain healthy diet

There are certain foods that are beneficial for the brain. Our brains love healthy fats. These include foods with good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids like fish, nuts, seeds and plant oils (on a side note, have you ever noticed how much a walnut resembles a brain? Just sayin…). These healthy fats can help keep the cellular membranes in our brains healthy and strong. Additionally, they may help decrease inflammation in our brains and they may have antioxidant effects. Fruits and vegetables are also excellent sources of antioxidants.
 

• Get enough exercise

When it comes to brain health, few things are as important as regular movement. Exercise improves circulation. Think of exercise as a rush of water and our vessels as the hoses. When we start moving, we’re turning that faucet on, washing all those figurative cobwebs out of our brains.

We’re also discovering that exercise can help grow new blood vessels, may help break down some of those white matter lesions mentioned earlier (the cobwebs) and may decrease the risk of stroke (another common cause of dementia). Essentially every time we exercise, we’re investing in our brains. We’re building up what’s referred to as our cognitive reserves. We’ll have more to work with as our brains age, giving us a decent head start and possibly delaying the amount of decline. One of THE worst things we can do for our brains is living a sedentary lifestyle.
 

• Get enough sleep!

To add on to the last point, exercise also helps us sleep better. Poor sleep may be a risk factor for dementia. Sleep is a restorative process for our brains. It’s when our brains shuffle, reorganize, process and store all the information that we gather during our waking hours. A sleepless brain is a disorganized brain.

Sleep is critical for maintaining brain health and for keeping our minds sharp. To get the best sleep, make sure you get exposure to natural light in the morning, get adequate exercise, minimize caffeine use late in the day and stay away from those blue screens a couple hours before bedtime!
 
Don’t accept disease
There’s considerable difference between thriving and merely surviving. It’s time we increase our expectations of our health. It’s time we understand that there are many things that we can do to take control of the trajectory of our lives. Disease is a combination of non-modifiable risk factors and lifestyle choices. In fact, disease is not a normal part of aging. While we cannot control our age, our genes or our sex, we can control the actions that we take that may impact our health.  
 
What kinds of things do you do to keep your brain sharp? Is there anything that you’d add to this list? Please leave your thoughts below!