Tips to keep your brain young at all ages

When it comes to looking young, fit and healthy, we often hit gyms and parlours. But what about brain health?

Every single activity that the human body performs takes its orders from the brain. From coordinating balance, controlling the voluntary actions and responding towards the emotions to problem-solving techniques, the human brain is responsible to take care of all the actions.

Maintaining physical health is important but taking care of the brain is equally necessary. Taking cognisance of these facts, the discourse around brain health has increased in the recent past.

Good brain health is a key to a long and healthy life. It is a state where faculties of the brain such as reaction time, memory and judgement work efficiently.

So here are some tips you can follow to maintain your brain health with the impact of ageing.

Brain exercises: physical exercise is great for both body and mind but challenging yourself for mental exercise can improve your brain functioning. Research shows that brain exercises can help in generating new nerve cells. Leading physicians say that reading, crossword puzzles and word problems all contribute to enhancing brain health.

Also read: 5 exercises to train your elderly brain

Healthy diet: a healthy balanced diet is not only good for your brain but it also supports your overall development. Add food rich in omega-3, green leafy vegetables and grains in your diet for healthy growth of your brain.

Get ample sleep: Proper sleep is imperative in maintaining good brain health. Some theories reveal that sleep helps clear abnormal proteins in the brain and consolidates memories, which boosts your overall memory and brain health.

A continuous 6-8 hours of sleep is important for good brain health. Turn off your mobiles and television 60 minutes before going to bed. Meditating before going to bed is also helpful in ensuring proper sleep.

Learn new skills: Learning new skills such as cooking, painting,  singing, dancing, yoga, or gyming keep the brain active. This ultimately helps in developing new cells and connections between brain cells.

Studies reveal that getting uncomfortable and exploring new things helps to create more intellectual stimulation and more various neural circuits are used which ultimately keeps you away from neurodegenerative disease.

Safety first: Head injuries can cause severe damage to your brain. Many people lose memory, suffer internal bleeding, loss of consciousness and many more due to head injuries. This can result in weakening your muscle strength and brain functions. Doesn't matter how good a driver you are, wearing a helmet and belt can protect you from serious injuries.

Remain socially involved: Social interaction helps ward off depression and stress, both of which can contribute to memory loss. Research shows that that excessive solitude leads to brain atrophy.

This article is a replug on World Brain Tumor Day