Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you’re there? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Or maybe you’ve had one of those moments where you completely blank someone’s name right after they’ve introduced themselves. Again, it happens to the best of us. The good news? There are loads of really easy things you could be doing to keep your brain sharp, no matter how old you are. Even better news? You don’t need to turn things upside down or suddenly become someone who does Sudoku on holiday. If you make a few small changes to your daily routine, you can keep everything ticking up there as it should be.
Keep learning new things
Our brains are like muscles. The more you use your brain, the stronger it gets. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you’ve got to go back to school or sign up for courses (unless you want to,) it just means you should strive to learn more. You could do this by picking up a new hobby and learning the ins and outs of it all. Or, you could learn to speak another language. Anything that provides you with new information will keep your brain sharp. Plus, you’ll have lots of interesting facts stored that can make great conversation starters.
Get active
We don’t need to tell you why exercise is important for your body, but did you know it’s important for your brain too? Exercise increases blood flow to your brain which in turn, helps keep it healthy. Not only that, it releases endorphins into your brain which helps boost your mood. And as you probably know, when you’re in a good mood, you’re more motivated to get things done.
Luckily, you don’t have to sign up for a 10k or spend hours in the gym (again, unless you want to) to feed your brain all of that goodness. You can get moving by taking a walk around the block or dancing while you’re cooking. Even something simple as doing some stretches while you’re watching TV will help. Try to do something to get your blood pumping at least once a day. Not only will it help your brain power, but you’ll notice how much fitter you feel too.
Sleep!
We all know how important sleep is, and it’s all well and good saying you’re going to go to bed earlier, but when it inevitably doesn’t happen, you’re not doing yourself any favours. If you’ve been experiencing lots of brain fog lately, it could be down to lack of sleep. When you sleep, your brain gets a chance to rest and reset, so give it plenty of chances to do exactly that!
Whenever and as often as you can, try to get at least 7 hours of sleep. Allow yourself to have more if your brain and body need it. If falling asleep is an issue for you, get yourself into a healthier sleep routine. This might mean putting away screens before bed, drinking a warm caffeine-free drink, or it might even mean curling up with a good book. Take the time to research a healthy bedtime routine so that you can get the much needed sleep you deserve.
Eat well
Like with your physical health, what you eat affects your brain power. You don’t necessarily have to change your diet to something strict or cut out all of your favourite foods, but there are some changes you could make that will improve how you feel, think and remember things. Foods like berries, nuts, leafy greens, and oily fish are all really great foods for the brain. Try adding them into your diet and see how you feel a month from now – you’ll be surprised!
Don’t forget to drink enough water too. Being dehydrated can make you forgetful, and it’s not good for your physical or mental health. Aim for 2 liters a day, and don’t forget to factor in any moisture lost through exercise and top yourself back up. Simply upping your water intake will make a huge difference to how you feel by itself!
Play games
Yep, you read that right. Playing games can be really good for your brain. Things like puzzles, crosswords, and even video games (in moderation) can help keep your brain active. Don’t just stick to one game either! Mix it up and play a wide range of games like checkers for strategy or Sudoku for your short term memory. Any game that encourages you to think ahead or plan moves is a really great workout for the brain.
The best part about it is that you don’t have to play games for hours for it to be an effective workout for your brain. Simply add it into your life as an activity that you enjoy! There are loads of games that you can download to your phone or tablet too.
Take breaks
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your brain is quite literally nothing. If you’re always thinking or working or even scrolling (we’re all guilty of it), then your brain is effectively never taking a break. When this happens, you might experience brain fog or even feelings of being overwhelmed. If this is sounding familiar, it’s a sign that you need to allow your brain to take a break.
Simply actions like going for a gentle walk or looking out of the window gives your brain the chance to shut down for a short while. Allow your mind to wander every now and then – it’s good for you! If you’re worried about becoming distracted for too long, set an alarm on your phone to bring you back to reality.
Be more social
Being social is actually really good for your brain. When you’re chatting, laughing, listening and sharing stories, you’re inadvertently keeping your mind sharp. While it’s totally okay to have downtime and moments alone, it’s important to keep your social life up. Even if that means a phone call with a friend or a FaceTime video to your parents, it can and will lift your mood. And as we know, when we’re happier, it’s easier to focus.
If you’ve been feeling a little isolated lately, try to reach out to those around you. You could arrange a catch up or even a Zoom date to get that human connection our brains crave. If you don’t have many people around you, consider joining a group.
Write things down
We live in a world where we’re expected to remember every detail as soon as we’ve learned it, but realistically, it’s not something many people can do. You don’t need to have a perfect memory! We can use notebooks and apps these days to note down important information. Funnily enough, writing things down actually helps you remember them better because you’re essentially telling your brain that “this information is important.”
So, make to-do lists, write in a journal, and let things out. Even if what you’re writing isn’t deep or that important, it can help clear some of the noise from your brain, giving you the space to think more clearly. Not only that, writing it down allows your brain to shut off easier when it’s time to relax because you know you’re not going to forget it.
Keep stress at bay
It’s normal to feel certain levels of stress throughout life. After all, we’ve got jobs, bills, kids, and many other important things to worry about. However, when it builds up, it can really mess with your memory and your overall mood. Some people handle stress well, some people don’t. Because of this, there’s no one-size-fits-all fix for it. Research some stress reducing techniques and find what works for you.
The most important thing is to not let it get bottled up. Your brain will naturally work better when it doesn’t feel like it’s in survival mode. Take care of your mental health, and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Use your non-dominant hand
This one sounds a little odd, but it really does work! Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand or stirring your tea with your non-dominant hand. It gets the brain working and challenges it to complete the task successfully.
It’s only a little challenge for the brain, but it really does help wake it up a bit. Little exercises like this can help keep your mind sharper in the long run. Plus, it’s quite funny trying to do things with the other hand when it inevitably goes wrong!
Take a tech break
We’re lucky to live in a world with some wonderful tech, but it can be a hindrance when trying to keep our brains sharp. Think about the amount of hours you spend doom scrolling or catching up with the latest news – it’s enough to frazzle the brain!
Even if it’s only for 15 minutes a day, give your brain time away from screens and cat videos. Go for a walk or do a mindless chore, you’ll find you’re much more relaxed!