9 Habits You Didn’t Know Could Help Boost Your Brain Power

9 Habits You Didn’t Know Could Help Boost Your Brain Power

Do you have a friend who always seems to forget where she’s put her earphones, her nail filer, or worse still her house keys? Well, first things first, share this article with her!

Secondly, just the way your abs and biceps need to be worked upon to get into shape, your brain is also a muscle that needs a daily workout in order to function effectively. A healthy brain enables you to perform tasks in a shorter time, come up with unique solutions, and be creative! And don’t we all want that?

Well, the good news is that these everyday habits could help boost your brain power and sharpen your mind.

1. Do Something New Today

When was the last time you actively learnt something new? Whether it is playing an instrument or learning how to cook your mom’s specialty dish, or even learning a new language, you must enjoy yourself while trying out a new activity. Don’t get stuck in a rut doing the same old things – the only way to change the structure of your brain is to do something new, as your brain will grow and develop the more your exercise it.

2. Squeeze In That Workout In The Morning

First things first, get off that couch, and go for a run! It has been proven that regular workouts help increase brain function, improve memory, enhance overall mood, protect the brain against degeneration, and help you live a long, healthy and productive life. Engage in a workout routine that suits you, like a dance class or kick boxing or martial arts because they stimulate a variety of brain systems like organisation, co-ordination, planning and judgement.

3. Block All Negativity And Meditate

Living in a fast paced city like Bombay, everyone seems to be stressed out about something. Research has shown that positive thinking speeds up the creation of cells and dramatically reduces stress and anxiety. Meditation is key in helping to manage stress, even if you take only 5 or 10 minutes out of your day for it. Try and get a handle on negative thoughts, and make an effort to replace them with positive ones. Indulge in mindful activities, like when you’re having a shower focus on the feel of the water, the smell of your shampoo, and so on. This will help keep your mind attentive and help reinforce your mindfulness of the moment.

4. Eat Foods That Boost Brain Power

Our diet is correlated to the functioning of the brain. Right nutrition is the key to boost your brainpower. For example, drinking coffee can increase your brain’s ability to stay alert. Wine is known to improve your cognitive function, blueberries help with memory retention, chickpeas help with message transmission in your brain, broccoli and cauliflower help with the growth of new brain cells, nuts, whole grains, and avocados are also beneficial.

5. Get Enough Sleep

While sleeping, your body regenerates cells and removes all the toxins that have built up during the day. Creativity, thinking, cognitive functioning, problem solving, memory, all these are tied to getting enough sleep. So, stop scrolling through your Instagram feed tonight and put your phone away and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep.

6. Train Your Mind

Very often we hear people say, “I wish I had better memory”, yet they don’t do anything about it. If you are one of those people, you need to discipline yourself to memorise important numbers like contacts, credit card numbers, passwords etc. Gone are the days of maps, but try to ditch the GPS when you try to go on a long distance drive. Read a book to trigger your imagination since you have to force your brain to “picture” what you are imagining. Avoid using calculators, and work your brain muscles instead. If you’re ever bored on the train, play a Sudoku game instead of staring at cheap earrings, nail polish, and hair clips that you don’t need.

7. Have Some Fun In The Sun

Higher levels of Vitamin D in your system allow you to perform better, and can even slow down the aging of your brain. The best way to get our dose of sunlight is to work out outdoors, or read a book in a park, or just take a morning stroll by the sea.

8 Take A Break

Taking a break from your routine life is very important, whether it is a 10-minute break between class, or a vacation each year. If you can’t finish a task in a certain time, leave it aside for a while, and get back to it with recharged energy. You can even surf the Internet between tasks in order to refuel your brain and help it work more efficiently.

9. Laugh If Off

Studies have shown that laughter stimulates different areas of the brain, allowing people to think in a broader and freer manner. It is also a natural stress reducer. So pick up your phone, and call that weird friend of yours who makes you laugh at everything he/she says.

Kreena Desai

Hauterfly's Content Writer and Video Producer, Kreena is a sucker for all things DIY. In love with nail art, beauty, fashion, textiles, and all things creative under the sun, she follows the mantra: Why buy, when you can DIY?!

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