Fitness of the brain is as important as fitness of the body. Various kinds of physical exercises can be done for ensuring fitness of the body. Some important ones including them include strength training, aerobics, stretching etc. Along with physical exercises; there are exercises which work towards fitness for your brain too. With these exercises, cognitive abilities of the brain are sharpened and brain functionalities are enhanced as well.
Mentioned below are some natural ways by which brain power and functionalities can be improved:
• Aromatherapy – All of us have heard about aromatherapy. But did you know that aromatherapy could play a pivotal role in enhancing brain power and brain functionalities? There are many essential oils used in aromatherapy, which help in sharpening the brain. For instance, basil or peppermint oil helps in reducing mental fatigue and increases concentration. On the other hand, rosemary oil helps in providing mental alertness and clarity.
• Meditation – Mindful meditation is an excellent way of keeping the mind relaxed and stress-free. Just 30 minutes of meditation on regular basis can bring in excellent results for mental and physical well being of individuals. Gray-matter density in the hippocampus increases considering with meditation. Other attributes like learning and memory, introspection, compassion, self-awareness e etc are also bettered with meditation. Along with reducing and controlling stress levels successfully, memory and brain fitness is improved veryly. Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's etc along with cognitive decline can be managed well with meditation.
• Mind games – You might not know that human brain is a muscle. And to keep it in good shape and functioning, you need to make the brain exercise as much as possible. Whether it is for memory fitness or increasing cognitive abilities, mind games are simply great tools. Sudoku, scrabble, crosswords etc are excellent mind-games, which can sharpen the brain in an excellent manner. These games help in increasing attention, analytical skills, processing speed, positive intellectual engagement etc. People who play these games show better memory and problem solving abilities as they age.
• Sharpening the memory – Memory loss is not a problem, which is solely age related. Many young people complain of memory loss and yet they do not do anything to improve the same. Using mnemonic devices is an excellent way of keeping things in mind. If you can not remember things naturally, try remembering them through easier formats like via a concept, in point form, as a list or in words which are familiar to the memory. For memory fitness, each person has his own style of trying things. You can do the one you feel best can help in memory retention.
• De-stressing is very important – If you want to boost your memory and your brain functions naturally, there is no better way than de-stressing. Stress is one of the leading causes of brain cell destruction and memory loss. The brain is functioning continuously and gathering information and data. If it is not allowed to rest and relax, it will not be able to take in new information, leave alone retaining the same. Getting proper sleep is very important for de-stressing. Apart from this, there are other ways of shedding off stress too. Choose the ones that seem most suitable to you.
• Eating well is vital – The brain is an organ, which always remains hungry for energy. For optimizing brain power, it is important that you eat properly and provide the right kind of nutrition to the mind and the body at the same time. Also drink abundant water as dehydration can be a potent cause for confusion and memory loss. Eating a healthy and balanced diet will provide the body with all required nutrients and keep it healthy and happy. Include items in the diet like fish, which is rich source of DHA and omega-3 fatty acids. These components help in encouraging growth of neurons and improve brain power significantly.
Little changes and modifications in lifestyle can better brain power and functionalities. Try including them in life and positive changes are sure to come.