About 600 million people globally experience bouts of cognitive dysfunction. This could mean a little bit of brain fog, memory loss, or just an overall lack of sharpness.
Your mind is key to your quality of life, so do everything possible to improve the way that it works. We’re happy to provide you with some activities and practices you can follow that will get the most from your brain function.
Read on to learn how to keep your mind sharp in meaningful ways.
1. Drink More Water
When you want to know how to keep your mind sharp, start by considering your hydration. About 75% of people are dehydrated chronically because of their low daily water intake.
A lack of hydration causes your brain to not work as optimally. This tends to happen because your brain’s blood vessels shrink, making it more difficult to send blood and nutrients. You will lack coordination and balance when you’re not properly hydrated, sometimes to the point that it can resemble intoxication.
Get no less than 4 to 6 cups of water daily to make sure your brain activity doesn’t falter. Stock up on electrolytes in the form of coconut water, sports drinks, and salty drinks like pickle juice.
2. Engage in Brain Games and Activities
There are plenty of games to keep your mind sharp that’ll get your synapses firing, improve your memory, and so much more. Working your brain is similar to working your muscles. When you work your brain out regularly, it’ll stay sharp and better able to focus. If you stop using it, your brain will begin to atrophy.
Medical experts advise people to do puzzles and brain games to ward off dementia symptoms and development. Scope out some of the best puzzles to keep your mind sharp that you can do every day.
Some of the best brain games you can engage in include:
- Sudoku
- Crossword puzzles
- Word search puzzles
- Logic puzzles
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Rubiks cubes
- Building models
Let yourself be carefree during these activities, rather than stressing the outcome. When you get lost in the focus and thrill of the game, you’ll let your brain work its magic.
3. Start Meditating Regularly
When learning how to make the mind sharp and intelligent, meditation can be a helpful part of the path. It’s a form of natural medicine that costs you nothing but gives you so much.
Medical professionals understand the benefits that meditation brings cognitively, including:
- An enhanced ability to focus
- Engaging your brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS)
- It grows your brain’s frontal lobe
- You’ll reduce anxiety triggers that lead your mind to wander
- Focus on deep breathing gives your brain more blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients
It doesn’t take much to begin experiencing these and other benefits from meditation. The practice is simple – set a timer, sit down somewhere comfortable, breathe in through your mouth, and breathe out through your nose.
Pay attention to your breath and let your mind do what it does. Once you recognize your thoughts wandering, bring it back to your breathing, and it will train your brain to focus and be calm. The more you meditate, the more brain health you’ll experience.
Make it a daily practice and your cognitive health will thrive.
4. Monitor the Foods You Eat
Consider your nutrition when figuring out how to sharpen your mind. When you choose the right foods, your brain will get the fuel that it needs.
Nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids, protein, iron, and B vitamins provide your brain with the building blocks needed to thrive. When you stock up on brain foods with your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, it’ll supercharge your brain and make it work effectively.
Here are some brain foods that you’ll need to regularly ingest:
- Fatty nuts and seeds like cashews, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds
- Fatty fish like mackerel and salmon
- Fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, avocados, bananas, and berries
- Dark chocolate and coffee
- Whole grains and quinoa
Make sure that you get however many calories that you need for your weight and body type.
5. Make Sure to Prioritize Your Sleep
Sleep is one of the best refreshers for your brain. Just like your smartphone needs a recharge when the battery goes red, your brain also needs some rest to become more electric.
Getting 7 or more hours of sleep is optimal for your circadian rhythm, which helps to boost your memory and brain function. You will also allow your brain to rebuild tissue, strengthen your neural connections, and wire your brain for better activity and performance.
Set up your bedroom to help you get to sleep easier. Install some blinds in your bedroom so that the light that seeps in each morning doesn’t throw off your sleep rhythm.
6. Get More Physical Exercise
Make sure that you’re getting lots of physical exercise. Fill your week with gym days, yoga, calisthenics, High-intensity interval training (HIIT), and other workouts that build muscle and get the blood pumping.
Physical activity improves your brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is essential for memory, learning, and growing more brain synapses. Working out also boosts brain endorphins so that you have a more attentive and euphoric mood. Hydrate up before, during, and after exercise to get the best results.
7. Take Some Quality Brain Supplements
Finally, bolster your brain health by supplementing with vitamins, herbs, and other brain health products. Research nutrients that will ramp up your mind and preserve its health for years.
Look into a brain supplement stack that can help your neurons fire on all cylinders. They’re best taken with foods that also give you energy and promote blood flow.
Learn How to Keep Your Mind Sharp
When you’re figuring out how to keep your mind sharp, the tips in this article will serve you. Protecting your mind protects your health and quality of life, so always make this a priority.
Begin with these points and check out our other articles to make the most out of your physical and mental health.
