This mission can begin with some basic self-care suggestions:
1. Aim for regular sleep patterns
Optimal brain function is impossible without enough sleep. This is as fundamental as it gets! If you don’t already have a regular sleep routine, make it a major priority.
2. Get active
Of course, this means routine exercise. But it definitely does not stop there. Being active relates to more than your daily workout. Consider your lifestyle. Do any of the following apply?
• You work a desk job
• “Couch potato” describes your free time
• Your cell phone posture is hunched or slumped
• Long periods of driving or commuting are common
Many of these circumstances lead to sedentary lives. Our brains are not pleased.
3. Create healthy eating habits
There seems to be a new diet fad every week. But through it all, some truths endure. What and how we eat plays a major role in brain function. If you’re unsure about the quality of your diet, consult a nutritionist or dietician. Your brain must be nourished well to serve you well.
4. Find ways to manage the stress in your life
It becomes increasingly difficult to concentrate when you’re stressed out. Developing relaxation techniques is a huge step towards brain power. Common stress-reducing options include:
• Breathing exercises
• Tai chi
Once you’ve got your self-care basics established, it’s time to get creative!
6 Ways to Train your Brain for Optimal Function and Balance
1. Scale back on usage of tech devices
Continual staring at tiny screens can dull your brain’s functionality. Exercise your imagination and diversify your brain activity. Enjoy your brain’s power. Delegate less to machines.
2. Have deep and challenging conversations
Once you’ve reduced your tech use, you will likely rediscover real conversation. We’re social animals and crave these connections. Move past small and surface interaction and really talk to other people. Ask questions, listen well, and delve deeply into topics.
3. Do memory work
Your memory muscles improve with practice. Here’s another way to benefit from less tech in your life. Learn to memorize phone numbers and driving directions. Do math in your head. Basically, challenge your brain by consciously living as much as possible as people did before calculators, computers, and cell phones.
4. Try something new. Then keep doing it.
Your brain loves variety. It also uses repetition as a path towards proficiency.
For example, challenge yourself to learn a new language. This will deliver both variety and the need for repetitive practice.
5. Listen to music/Learn to play music
For years, research has shown the positive impact music can have on our brains, e.g. it stimulates memory. Also, learning to play an instrument is an excellent way to challenge and support various areas of your brain.
6. Ask for help
There’s one big problem when you ask your brain to help improve itself. It has blind spots. Your brain has long developed clever patterns of denial.
Let’s say you want to increase physical fitness. If you consult a personal trainer, the results appear more quickly. If you’ve decided to train your brain, you’ll progress faster with professional help.
One significant option a professional may suggest is brain training.
With guidance, positive imagery practice, and attention paid to brain activity feedback before and after a neurofeedback session, you can change your mindset.
You can intentionally train your brain to do more than it’s currently doing. In the process, you’ll realize that you have more mental control than you ever imagined. Brain Training is a proven path towards optimal function and balance.