Let’s Talk Brain Health

It’s so important to take care of your brain, to give it what it needs to stay healthy and functioning well into my old age.

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Do you ever think about your brain? That 3-pound clump of cells, fat, water, blood vessels, and nerves works hard for you every day. It controls thought, your emotions, memory, vision, body temperature, hunger, how you respond when touched, your motor skills and is in charge of every process that regulates your body. That’s a champion multitasker working hard…every minute of every day. You have to take care of that assiduous organ so that it serves you for many years to come. 

So far I haven’t had any issues with my brain, thankfully. My mind is another story but that’s a whole other post. I’ve made it a priority to take care of my brain, to give it what it needs to stay healthy and functioning well into my old age. Here are some of the things I’m working on. 

I’ve only recently been learning how very important good quality sleep is not just for your body but also for your brain. I talked about sleep in this post but not how it relates to brain health. It turns out that getting good quality deep sleep is one of the most important things you can do to keep your brain healthy. I’ve been working on what is called sleep hygiene for the last year or so. It includes going to bed and waking up at about the same time each day, limiting screen time before bed, avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bed, exercising regularly but ideally not too late in the evening, getting sunlight first thing in the morning, and sleeping in a dark, quiet and cool room. Just like in my post about consistency I aim for progress, not perfection. I also try to keep my nighttime routine consistent to signal to my brain that it’s time to wind down and prepare to sleep. That includes taking my vitamins, flossing and brushing my teeth, and doing my skincare routine. All of those steps are slow, methodical, and relaxing so as not to stimulate my brain too close to bedtime. Why is quality sleep so important? When you sleep your brain is actually still working quite hard. Your nerve cells are communicating with each other to reorganize so that memories and events from the day can be stored properly. Your body is busy repairing cells, restoring energy and hormones to their optimal levels, and doing the housekeeping of removing toxins from your brain that build up throughout the day. I’ve always been a good sleeper but when I actually started to track metrics with my watch* I found lots of areas I could improve upon. I’ve shared that when I have a cocktail or two my heart rate stays up higher than it should be and I don’t get as much deep sleep as I need. I’ve been having caffeine recently which seems to have reignited my nocturnal inferno and I’ve had a week of fitful nights, also not conducive to quality sleep. Going to remove that energy drink and see if it helps. 

Another tool in my brain health chest is exercise and eating a healthy diet. I’ve always loved to move my body and I’m thankful that has benefited my brain over the years. Exercise is so beneficial because it promotes neural growth, reduces inflammation, and because it releases endorphins, it gives you feelings of calm and well-being. All of these things can reduce the risk of cognitive decline with age. According to an article in CNN Health, “Exercise boosts levels of a protein known to strengthen communication between brain cells via synapses, which may be a key factor in keeping dementia at bay.” Sign me up! Exercise’s companion is a healthy diet, low in inflammatory foods like sugar and highly processed choices, instead choosing brain-boosting foods like blueberries, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and fatty fish. I’m not a fan of salmon but I know how good it is for me so I’ve been trying to sample Scott’s when he orders it to train my taste buds to like it. Wish me luck. 

One last area I’ve been focusing on is staying mentally active. I try to read more than I watch Netflix. I started a language course on an app to teach my brain a new skill and I love it. For a while, I had a word puzzle app on my phone but got rid of it as I was also trying to decrease my screen time. We always do a big puzzle at our family reunion and it’s a communal brain boost, while the hyena laughter pumps out those good-for-your-brain endorphins. We also have a piano* in the apartment that begs me to tickle its ivories regularly to stimulate my brain. More often than not I ignore it but again progress not perfection. Maybe next month’s consistency challenge will be 15 minutes a day of the piano. I think my brain will thank me.