Tips to cool your brain this season

Tips to cool your brain this season
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Highlights

A good night’s sleep can certainly leave you feeling refreshed, but getting regular sleep is actually critical to your brain’s health. Sleep has been shown to improve memory. Research has shown that sleep-deprived people handle stress less effectively and that chronic lack of sleep might even contribute to obesity. Sleep deprivation might even result in serious and lasting brain damage, killing off cells in important regions of the brain.

Get a good night’s sleep

A good night’s sleep can certainly leave you feeling refreshed, but getting regular sleep is actually critical to your brain’s health. Sleep has been shown to improve memory. Research has shown that sleep-deprived people handle stress less effectively and that chronic lack of sleep might even contribute to obesity. Sleep deprivation might even result in serious and lasting brain damage, killing off cells in important regions of the brain. So if you are trying to refresh your brain, start by getting a good night’s rest.

Get out and exercise

Exercise obviously has a wide range of benefits, but research is increasingly demonstrating that being physically fit is vital to your brain’s current and future health. Exercise has also been linked to neurogenesis, or the formation of new brain cells. In experiments, rats who exercised not only grew new brain cells - they were also smarter than rats who had not exercised. Other studies have also demonstrated that exercise can indeed make people smarter. Those who exercise do better on mental tests, have better memories, and are better at paying attention.

Eat right

A healthy diet can also help contribute to a healthy mind. Certain nutritional deficiencies can lead to mental confusion and memory problems, such as a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Fatty acids are also essential for proper brain function, since they help protect the brain and aid in oxygenation. Fish, nuts, and seeds are good sources of these fatty acids. Learn more about some of the best foods for the brain and be sure to check out the Nutrition site atAbout.com for more great information about healthy eating.

Meditate

While people sometimes make the mistake of thinking meditation is just for relaxation, there has been plenty of research to demonstrate the powerful impact that meditating can have on the mind and body. Studies have found a huge range of benefits including lowering stress, improving memory, better sleep, and better attention. If you want to reap some of these many advantages, consider become one of the 20 million people in the United States who practice meditation.

Manage your stress

Stress can wreak havoc on both your mind and body. It can impede your memory, suppress you immune system, and make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help keep your stress levels in check and better manage the daily stresses you have to deal with. Start by developing a stress relief plan that suits your life. Identify your sources of stress and think about some of the things you can do to minimize or cope with such pressure. You can also explore some quick stress relief techniques such as breathing exercises and meditation.

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