Importance of brain health.

There is much awareness about preserving heart health, but we rarely hear about preserving brain health. Brain health is still regarded as an ambiguous concept despite its crucial role in our lives. Heart health has been given a great deal of emphasis since the advent of health care, but brain health is just as important for our ability to think, feel, act, and lead a quality of life.

By reducing the risk factors associated with brain damage and impairment, we can make the most out of our brains as we get older. There are numerous studies available on brain and brain health. The interest in this particular organ of our body never ceases to exist as hundreds of scientific findings pop up about the brain every year. The recent studies on brain impairment demonstrate how important brain health is to maintain the quality of life during old age. 

Cognitive decline

Our brain is constantly changing. It is 

constantly forming new connections. A healthy brain undergoes a rejuvenation process that helps keep our brain cells functional and healthy for the long run. The rejuvenation process slows down as we become older, resulting in age-related cognitive decline. The age-related cognitive decline manifests itself in many forms.

One such form is dementia and forgetfulness. Since we cannot stop the process of ageing, we can choose to lead a healthy lifestyle to reduce or delay the effects of cognitive decline during older years. The cognitive decline during older years is rather common, but one way to delay this inevitable cognitive decline is by staying healthy and preserving brain health. 

Healthy lifestyle and brain health

There is substantial evidence that suggests that our decisions in life can have a huge effect on our mental and physical health as we get older. Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, brain haemorrhage, and other neurodegenerative diseases are not simply a result of terrible luck rather; they result from poor lifestyle choices. Doctors and scientists have observed that altering poor lifestyle choices and implementing a healthy lifestyle can improve our brain health significantly. It can minimise the chances of contracting neurodegenerative diseases and age-related cognitive decline. 

Importance of a healthy lifestyle for brain health. 

Having an active lifestyle is extremely important for our brain health. Engaging in regular physical activity, quitting harmful habits like smoking and drinking, incorporating a well-balanced diet, and remaining socially connected can all help to improve our brain health. It is important to note that maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not necessarily keep you immune from brain diseases as countless people get diagnosed with brain diseases, even after having maintained a healthy lifestyle. It is important to emphasise that maintaining an active lifestyle can lower an individual’s chances of having a brain disease as they get older. It cannot, however, give you complete assurances. 

Tips to boost brain health

Exercise: Regular exercise has been demonstrated to reduce age-related brain degradation and sustain brain function that generally deteriorates as people get older. Exercise of the mind is just as vital as an exercise of the body. Mental activities like crossword puzzles, sudoku, chess, etc., can test our mental abilities and help keep our brain healthy for a long time. Living a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise can help preserve your brain health by reducing your diabetes and heart disease risk. 

Lifestyle changes: Some lifestyle changes are necessary to preserve brain health. If you smoke and consume excessive amounts of alcohol, then your chances of developing dementia are higher than the general population. Smoking and alcohol consumption is also linked to various cardiovascular diseases. Moderate alcohol consumption may not be as dangerous to brain health as excessive alcohol consumption. Drinking too much alcohol might lead to cognitive damage and mental deterioration in old age. 

Be socially active: 

Maintaining mental and social engagement aids in generating new brain cells, 

forming new neural circuits, 

enhancing total brain functioning.

Social isolation contributes to poor brain health, so it is advised that you maintain social connections at all costs. Engaging in social activities helps create a sense of belonging that feeds our esteem needs. Being socially active improves your brain health and improves your mood and reduces feelings of worthlessness and loneliness. 

Sleep: The importance of sleep in brain health cannot be overstated. Humans sleep for nearly a third of their waking hours, which is essential for brain health. Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of our brain and other bodily systems. Sleep helps you stay alert, motivated, and capable of making sound choices. An average adult needs at least six to seven hours per night for optimum functioning. This regular, comfortable sleep allows your brain to clear the cellular waste and improve memory. 

Food and Nutrition: Our diet determines our physical and mental health to a certain degree. Eating a nutrient-rich, well-balanced diet can help you preserve both your brain health as well as your body’s health. As people become older, improper diet choices, lifestyles, and pollution have a more evident oxidative effect on the brain. This is analogous to metal oxidation or rusting. There are a variety of foods high in antioxidants that can help nullify the effects of oxidation on our brain, and those foods should be ingested regularly. This is something that a nutritionist can help you with. Smoking and alcohol intake should be reduced.

Conclusion 

The brain is one of the most important organs of our body. It directly controls the functions of all the other organs in the body. It acts as the “central processing unit” that performs different functions to keep the organs of our body functioning. 

Our brain coordinates and conducts every physical and mental process performed by our body. It is no surprise that brain health is essential for a decent quality of life at any age.