Am I Losing My Mind?

No matter what your age, consider your brain health. People with healthy brains are able to make decisions more easily, live more fulfilled lives, and may, in some cases, delay the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.  So how do you keep your brain healthy? 

The same way you keep the rest of your body healthy.

1. Manage Your Stress
   Did you know that high levels of stress can affect your brain just as much as it can affect your heart? Just as stress can increase your blood pressure, it can wear away at your brain fitness and memory with high doses of the toxic chemical cortisol. Ever feel like you can’t focus? Hot flashes. Anxiety. Worry. Flashes of anger. You are stressed. All these affect the elasticity of your brain. You become mentally exhausted.  While we can’t completely remove all stress from our lives, we can develop better coping skills by understanding and focusing on our natural brain-based strengths that reduce the stress of trying hard and working in areas we're just not equipped to do easily and well.  Researchers today constantly refer to "mindfulness" or being aware in the moment of how you feel, pausing, and using your breath to calm your emotions. BrainStyles will teach you about applying mindful timing, the critical factor in managing stress and eliminating criticism in social interactions, primary to healthy aging and wellbeing.

2. Step Away
   Facing a difficult problem? Dr. Sandra B. Chapman, Founder and Chief Director of The Center for BrainHealth, and Dee Wyly, Distinguished University Professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, tell us how to use a process we are all familiar with: “Step away from the issue to use the ‘Default Mode Network’ [that uses] the deepest part of the brain [while you] sleep.”  It sounds so simple, but the research shows continual positive results. 

But what if you don’t have overnight to ponder?  The Center of BrainHealth recommends five five-minute “brain breaks” during the day to let your brain re-set to better problem-solving.

3. Set Priorities
   “Multi-tasking,” Chapman cautions, breaks down the function of [the seat of memory], the hippocampus, and releases toxins.” Setting priorities for the day is critical to brain health. “Prioritize to [the] two most important things to do per day.”  Limiting incoming information is crucial. Chapman names “[b]rain supporters: Socializing, eating well, sleep, and aerobic exercise.” 

In order to access your strengths, you need a healthy foundation. Make the time to get an extra hour of sleep. Take a short walk each day. BrainStyles provides research and tools to assist you to define and leverage your hardwired, brain-based strengths.