“I just can’t stay focused lately.”
“My head never feels quite clear.”
“I can’t seem to shake off my fatigue.”
Do any of these sound familiar?
The brain is an organ that keeps working 24 hours a day, without ever taking a break.
Making decisions at work, remembering things, holding conversations, processing the flood of information from our smartphones: every day, our brains burn through an enormous amount of energy.
In recent years, research has shown that brain health depends not only on age but also, to a large degree, on our daily habits.
In this article, we introduce three habits that many studies agree are important: sleep, exercise and diet.
Quality Sleep Is Maintenance Time for the Brain
Sleep does more than rest the body.
During sleep, the glymphatic system becomes highly active, clearing away waste that has built up in the brain. Sleep also plays an important role in organizing the information we take in during the day and consolidating it into memory.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that lack of sleep can lead to declines in concentration, judgment, memory and learning ability.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and the Sleep Research Society also recommend that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Precisely because our days are so busy, paying attention not just to how long we sleep but to the “quality of sleep” is the first step toward keeping the brain in good condition.
Moderate Exercise Benefits the Brain, Too
Exercise does more than maintain muscle strength and stamina. It also has many positive effects on the brain.
Research from Harvard Medical School and other institutions has reported that regular aerobic exercise, such as walking or jogging, increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).
BDNF is an important protein that supports the growth of nerve cells in the brain and the formation of new neural circuits.
In addition, a 2023 meta-analysis of about 270,000 people published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that
people who exercised regularly had about a 17% lower risk of developing dementia.
The WHO also recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, which is said to support not only the brain but the health of the whole body.
What matters is not intense workouts, but keeping up activities like walking.
A Balanced Diet Provides the Building Blocks for the Brain
Just like the rest of the body, the brain gets its nutrients from what we eat every day.
One eating pattern that has drawn attention in recent years for its link to brain health is the MIND diet.
It is a way of eating that actively includes foods such as
• Green and yellow vegetables
• Berries
• Nuts
• Beans
• Whole grains
• Fish
• Olive oil
and more.
A study from Rush University Medical Center reported that the group that followed the MIND diet most closely had about a 53% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and even those who followed it moderately had about a 35% lower risk.
Of course, this does not mean that eating certain foods alone is enough.
Making a small, conscious effort to add more vegetables, fish and nuts to your daily meals may help support your brain health in the years ahead.
Brain Health Is Built Day by Day
When it comes to brain health, some people may picture special supplements or brain training.
However, what many studies consistently point to is
• Quality sleep
• Moderate exercise
• A balanced diet
the importance of these basic lifestyle habits.
Small efforts, repeated every day, support your concentration, your ability to think and the future health of your brain.
Give Your Brain Time to Rest with a Dry Head Spa
In modern life, between work and smartphones, our brains are constantly processing a large amount of information.
That is exactly why it is also important to consciously make time to “do nothing” and time to “relax.”
At La HEAD, we care for not only the head but also the neck, shoulders and arms as one, offering time for deep relaxation of both mind and body.
Along with improving your daily habits, why not make a dry head spa part of your routine as a time to reset yourself?