Living healthy for as long as there is, is everyoneās ultimate dream. This means having eyes that are not dim, strong muscles, perfect metabolism and being mentally and emotionally balanced. But cognitive and physical decline may seem unavoidable. Nevertheless, it is possible to remain active and healthy in all parts of the body including the brain, even as we age. Cognitive impairment can be avoided. In this article, several ways to keep your brain healthy will be evaluated.
What are some ways to prevent cognitive impairment?
Sleep
There are several ways to keep your brain healthy, but the first on the list here is sleep. Sleep can pass as the most important on the list. The mystery of sleep is still yet to be figured out. We live in a very busy world these days. Sleep seems to be like an unnecessary interruption. The information overload in the world today could keep our brains active even when we should be asleep.
A lot of people would try to mask sleep off by ingesting caffeine, but it has its consequences. Sleep deprivation is insomnia, and whether forced or not, it has the potential to kill. Matthew Walker, PhD, in his book āWhy We Sleepā, explained how a lack of enough sleep could lead to Alzheimerās disease, depression, suicidality, and a host of other effects.
Therefore, to keep your brain healthy as you age, get enough sleep.
Stimulate the Brain mentallyĀ
Solving puzzles is one way to stimulate the brain, but there are other ways. Reading, writing, drawing, are more ways to keep your brain healthy and active. Taking special courses of interest where you learn new things are other ways to explore new areas while enjoying life.
Limit the intake of Alcohol and Tobacco
Drinking excessively is a major cause of dementia. Drugs that contain these substances can damage people in the long run, and reduce the brainās capacity.
Consume Plant-Based Diet
An organically grown plant-based diet is healthy. This is because they keep the heart healthy while acting as antioxidants, phytochemicals, and a great source of fibers. Some experts recommend a Mediterranean-style diet which involves a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, nuts and small quantities of meat consumption. There are lots of packaged foods in stores, and therefore we consume them more. But watching out for your brain means consuming only the foods that are as close to nature (less-processed). Eating well prevents the healthy flow of blood to the brain.
This keeps the level of cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure at normal levels, and reduces the risk of diabetes-caused dementia. Some clinical laboratory services can be accessed to check the level of sugar in the blood.
Exercise Regularly
TIME, a news publication on YouTube, recommends that getting physically active through exercises increase the cognitive functions of the body. It also helps to lose extra weight which could prove disastrous to one’s health. There is a reduction in the risk of diabetes, which shortens life, too.
Remain socially active
Engaging in social activities helps to develop morale and keeps oneās confidence level in check. Meeting people in social gatherings, such as parties, town meetings, religious places of worship and other events, is one of the great ways to keep your brain healthy.
Mind your emotions
Your emotions also determine whether you are healthy or not. Caring for the emotional aspect of your health is one of the sure ways to keep your brain healthy. Being able to cope with lifeās challenges means you can sail through its inconsistencies successfully. It also means that you can form healthy relationships, and manage negative feelings while realizing your full potential. This should be done by actively:
- Expressing feelings in appropriate ways
- Learning relaxation techniques
- Managing stress
- Staying positive
Protect the delicate part of the body from injuries
The head houses the brain, making it one of the most delicate parts of the body. Hits to the brain could lead to both short-term and long-term brain damage. Short-term effects include nausea, drowsiness, blurred vision, depression, problems with speech, or even a headache. Some long-term effects include loss of coordination, seizures, inability to awake from sleep, or even worse, comaĀ
Conclusion
For the brain to be healthy, it needs an adequate flow of blood. A lack of this flow can damage brain tissue. Practices that ensure this happens need to start early in life since the arteries narrow from an early age. These days, there are clinical laboratory services that offer neurological examinations. Motor and sensory skills, vision, coordination, speech and balance are some of the brain functions this examination can assess. Other clinical laboratory services can offer genetic testing to identify hereditary neurological disorders.
Therefore, the best way to keep your brain healthy is to intentionally keep it healthy.Ā
Also checkout: Ā Maintain Mental Health And Well Being
Was this helpful?
0 / 0