You walk for your heart and munch fibre for your gut, but what about your grey matter? A healthy brain is vital for all-round wellbeing at every stage of life – in fact, many aspects of good health depend on it.
The good news is, looking after your brain is easy and fun – and it offers benefits to the rest of your body, too. Add these simple daily habits to your routine to keep your mind fit, focused and flexible now and in the future.
1. Eat the rainbow
Put some colour on your plate! It’s the easiest way to ensure you’re eating a healthy, varied diet that’s good for your entire body, including your brain.
Meals packed with lots of colourful fruit and vegies, wholegrains and nuts and seeds are ideal because they’re brimming with vitamins and antioxidants that offer brain-protective nutrients. It also promotes a diverse range of good gut bacteria. Thanks to around the impact of the gut microbiome on mental health, we know that what you eat can have a big impact on brain function.
Oily fish like salmon and sardines deserve a spot on your weekly meal plan because they contain omega-3 fats that are essential for all-round good health. They’re especially good for your brain. Research also shows that people with higher levels of omega-3 fats had improved blood flow to the brain and performed better on cognition tests.
Don’t forget to add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to your salads. Healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from foods like olive oil, avocado and raw nuts and seeds are vital for optimal brain function and help your heart by improving cholesterol levels.
Do: Snack on colourful, healthy foods like fresh berries, a handful of walnuts or avo on toast.
2. Catch up with friends
Maintaining strong connections with friends and family is linked to a healthier brain structure. It’s thought that frequent, friendly interactions boost our overall wellbeing and help to preserve thinking skills. So if you’ve let some friendships lapse since the pandemic interrupted regular programming, now is the time to lock in a catch-up.
Do: Keep those connections strong – phone a friend, organise a weekly coffee date with a mate, or join a book club to expand your circle and stay social.
3. Make time for play
When was the last time you felt playful? It’s not just for kids! Playful hobbies such as starting a sports team with friends, creating art or learning an instrument help to keep your mind fit by sparking new connections within the brain.
They’re also fun – which boosts mood and helps you build cognitive resources to better cope with stress.
It’s important to mix up your play to keep your brain challenged. So, if you’re already into crosswords or sudoku, try learning the ukulele; if you love tennis, give painting or pottery a go.
Do: Find a playful hobby you love and make room for it every day, even if it’s only 10 minutes.
4. Look after your heart
Your brain and heart are closely connected, so taking care of your ticker is one of the best things you can do for your grey matter.
Here’s why: Your heart pumps blood to every organ in your body, including your brain, through a network of vessels. If those vessels become damaged or clogged, it can mean a reduced supply of the your brain needs to function.
Your heart loves daily exercise, a healthy diet (more on this below), not too much alcohol and rethinking if you still smoke. Adopt these habits now and your future brain will thank you.
Do: Get moving every day, even if it’s just a stroll around the block.
5. Aim for active rest
Regular exercise is crucial for lifelong brain power – it not only shuttles blood and oxygen to your grey matter, but produces chemicals that stimulate brain cell growth and protect against cognitive decline.
If your workout routine is already jam-packed with strength and cardio sessions that get your heart pumping several times a week, you’re on the right track. Now it’s time to incorporate some active rest to your schedule.
Active rest – think low-intensity movement like walking or yoga – allows your muscles to recover while helping to manage stress, which has flow-on benefits for your brain. This kind of light exercise may also improve your creativity, embed memories and increase connectivity in the brain. Active rest could also mean taking a bath, carving out time to read a book or listen to a podcast or booking yourself the odd massage.
Best of all, by making your rest active, you’ll keep your body moving most days – a habit that will serve your brain well for life.
Do: Add gentle movement to your downtime – go for a long walk on the weekend, take a yoga or pilates class or go for a slow bike ride to discover new parts of your hometown.
Like any muscle, the brain needs to be stimulated to stay strong. A new national awareness campaign, Eat.Play.Rest launches this week, aims to empower Aussies to optimise their brain health at any age, by focusing on the three critical areas of eating well, playing often and taking active rest.
Visit eatplayrest.org.au for more ideas on how to help you boost your brain-health, including fun interactive physical and mental activities, delicious healthy food inspo, and personal tips from your fave Aussie personalities, and much more.
This article was created in partnership with Dementia Australia. Prevention only partners with brands we believe in and that share our vision to provide science-backed content you can trust.
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