Hilarity for Charity (HFC) is dedicated to promoting brain health research that has been proven to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Research has shown one of the best ways to reduce these risks are through lifestyle changes. Below are 5 brain health tips from the HFC team, based on that research.
1. Eating Right
There are certain foods that promote brain health more than others. For example, berries, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and even dark chocolate contain vitamins and minerals that improve brain health. Some simple ways to incorporate these foods into your diet could be to sprinkle some fresh berries on top of your oatmeal or yogurt or blend some fruit into a smoothie. Although any excuse to eat a piece of chocolate is a good one, to promote brain health, dark chocolate with a lower sugar content has the best nutrient properties.
2. Getting Deep Quality Sleep
Something as simple as sleep is beneficial to your brain. While we sleep, our brains are clearing out waste products that have built up throughout the day. 7-9 hours of sleep is the ideal range to get a good quality rest. To optimize your sleep, try to avoid harsh lights like phone, computer, and TV screens before bed. Avoiding these screens for at least an hour before bed may improve your quality of sleep.
3. Exercising
PAAD-2 is currently investigating the link between exercise and brain health so of course this is our favorite tip! The word exercise can be intimidating to a lot of people because there are so many places to start. But we are NOT saying you must get up tomorrow and run a marathon. The goal of exercise can be reduced to 2 points: raising your heart rate and moving your body. This could be anything from pushing the lawn mower to walking a dog.
4. Emotional Well-Being
HFC suggests daily meditation practice as a good way to support emotional well-being. Try taking 15 minutes a day to reflect, pray, or practice breathing techniques. There are plenty of apps available for guided meditation. Another way to promote emotional well-being is to change your environment to initiate a change in mindset, take a walk outside if you’ve been stuck at a desk all day, or work on decluttering/rearranging your living space.
5. Mental Fitness
Mental fitness is just what is sounds like, exercising your brain. You can do this by learning new skills such as pottery or picking up a daily journaling habit. Having a broad range of activities that stimulate different parts of the brain is ideal for optimal mental fitness. Try puzzles, adult coloring books, taking a class to learn something new, reading, cooking, using your non-dominant hand, playing cards, or going to a museum.
