Find What Works For Your Brain

Did you know… When you move, your heart pumps more blood throughout your body, including your brain. Regular physical activity supports blood flow to the brain and is associated with better thinking, memory, and brain health as we age. You don't need a marathon: even everyday movement adds up.
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Try one of these:

• Pick one routine you already have: your morning coffee, lunch break, or evening TV time, and add a 10-minute walk to it or right after it. This is called “habit stacking” - taking something you always do and stacking something you want to do, with it.
• Even small bursts of movement count! Every 25 minutes, get up and go for a 3-5 minute walk - this will reset your focus and get you moving. Bonus: leave your phone at your desk.
• Aim for 150 minutes a week of getting your heartrate up, however that is sliced and diced is up to you.

As you rest (and best during deep sleep), your brain kicks into “cleanup” gear. Think of it as your brain’s overnight rinse cycle: sending fresh cerebrospinal fluid through the brain, helping to clear away metabolic waste. This includes proteins such as amyloid-beta that can build up over time.
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Try One These:

• Think AM to get a good PM. Skip the snooze and try to get outside/ into natural light as soon as possible. Even for a few minutes as you sip your coffee will help set your circadian rhythm for better focus, mood boost, and prep your body for a good night’s sleep.
• Can you aim to go to bed at the same time everyday this week?

Did you know… Even though your brain is only 2% of your body weight, it uses 10x per gram of metabolic load than muscle. That’s about 20% of your daily energy. A varied diet provides the vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients your brain and body need to function. Eating a variety of plant foods also helps support the trillions of microbes living in your gut, which interact with the brain.
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Try one of these:

• Healthy heart, healthy brain is a good motto to adopt.
• Variety is the goal, not perfection. Add one new plant food to your week. Try a fruit, vegetable, bean, whole grain, nut, or seed you've never, or rarely, eaten.
• Make vegetables the main squeeze of your dinner plate and let the meat be the small side portion.

Did you know… Meaningful social connection keeps your brain engaged. Conversations ask you to listen, remember, interpret emotions, respond, and adapt; all at once. Staying socially connected is also associated with better cognitive health and well-being as we age.
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Try one of these:

• Reach out to one person this week just to connect. Invite someone for a walk, grab a coffee.
• Ask someone a question and really listen to the answer.
• Do something you enjoy with other people. Join a class, club, volunteer group, or turn a favorite activity into something social.

Did you know… exposing yourself to something unfamiliar challenges your brain to adapt and build new connections. When you're a beginner, you have to pay closer attention, solve problems, remember new information, and adjust when things don't go as planned. Being a little bad at something is actually part of the process! Putting yourself in novel situations or taking on new challenges that you still find enjoyable is a win all around.
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Try one of these:

• Take on a new challenge. Try a new recipe or learn a few words in another language.
• Switch it up. Brush your teeth with your nondominant hand.
• Try a novel situation. Without using GPS, head to a familiar place, take a different route home, or explore somewhere new.

Did you know… Protecting your brain isn't just about avoiding injury. Preventing head injuries and taking care of things like your hearing and vision can all support brain health as you age. Simple precautions, like wearing a seatbelt, using a helmet when appropriate, preventing falls, and getting changes in hearing or vision checked, can make a difference. CDC
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Try one of these:

• Protect your head. Buckle up and wear a helmet for activities where head injuries can happen.
• Look for fall risks. Check your home for loose rugs, poor lighting, clutter, or other things that could trip you up.
• Don't ignore changes in your senses. If you've noticed a change in your hearing or vision, make that appointment you've been putting off.