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How to Be More Mindful of Your Brain and Put Your Mental Health First
You've probably heard the term "mindfulness." It's one of the best ways to achieve a state of calm. Mindfulness practices, such as yoga and tai chi, can help reduce anxious and depressive thoughts and increase focus and relaxation. Mindfulness also can help protect your brain and optimize brain function. As the organ responsible for everything you are and everything you do, it's always smart to be more mindful of your brain. More…brainful. If you’re looking to optimize your wellness, here are 12 natural ways to improve your health by putting your brain first… 12 Ways to Remain in a Brainful State of Mind 1. Know Your Brain Type Just as identifying your abilities, interests, and skills can help you become a more well-rounded person, knowing your Brain Type can help you better understand who you are and why you do what you do. In addition to making you more mindful of your brain, these insights can potentially impact your future career and relationships in significant ways. 2. Mindful Mentality One of the best ways to achieve a state of calm is with mindfulness. Mindfulness exercises can help reduce mood issues and increase well-being. Well-designed human studies show that daily mindfulness can help lessen stress¹ and improve overall brain health. 3. New Normal Perhaps you've recently experienced lifestyle changes that have impacted your focus, sleep, and mood. Or, maybe the unique stressors of these uncertain times have impaired your ability to cope, making you feel completely overwhelmed much of the time. You can’t stop what’s happening around the globe, but you can change what’s going on inside your brain to prevent fear from dominating your life. 4. Daily Routine An effective routine is to begin each morning by saying a positive affirmation like, “Today is going to be a great day!” Such a simple sentence can cause your brain to look for ways to fulfill that affirmative statement. It also establishes a healthy thought pattern you can continue throughout the day. 5. Self-care Basics You’ve probably heard the expression “always take care of number one.” Although that saying might not be the best advice in business, team sports, relationships, or many other areas of life, it holds a great deal of significance when it comes to your personal health. In fact, how you treat your body and brain may well determine your ability to function in an increasingly stressful world. 6. Strong Connections Social connections can significantly affect your brain, mood, and physical health.² The health habits of the people you spend time with can have a dramatic impact on your own health. It’s wise to surround yourself with people who are happy, upbeat, kind, and who challenge you to be the best version of yourself. 7. Avoid Unhealthy Foods Proper nutrition is essential to optimal brain function. Unfortunately, the standard American diet is filled with toxic foods that increase your risk for mental and physical problems, as well as issues with your focus, mood, and memory. Many of these unhealthy foods are: Highly processed Pro-inflammatory Pesticide sprayed Artificially colored and sweetened High glycemic Low fiber Laden with hormones Tainted with antibiotics In place of these harmful foods, be sure to eat a healthy diet…one that includes lean protein, high fiber, and healthy fats. Also, it’s recommended that you eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. 8. Physical Activity Physical activity is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to keep your brain healthy. Exercise can boost blood flow, deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the brain, and may increase your levels of dopamine. Walking at a brisk pace can help you clear your mind, decrease feelings of anxiousness, improve your mood, and burn some calories all at the same time. 9. Get Restful Sleep Anything that disrupts your natural sleep pattern, like excessive caffeine, alcohol, or video game playing, can have adverse effects on your ability to perform tasks at work, school, or home. Insufficient and inconsistent sleep can increase irritability, moodiness, and poor judgment. To remain at the top of your game, and to be more mindful of your brain, be sure to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. 10. Memory Support One of the best ways to support your memory is to set aside some time every day for new learning. Examples: learning a new language or musical instrument, trying a new kind of dance or other complex physical activity, or taking up a new hobby like chess or painting. Researchers emphasize that the “use it or lose it” principle applies to the brain,³ so be intentional about learning new things. 11. Mood and Stress Relief Often, there’s a correlation between being stressed out and experiencing occasional anxious thoughts or bouts of low mood. Stress can negatively affect your mood and keep your brain stuck in fight-or-flight mode. Also, stress can adversely impact the way your brain and body function, so it’s important for you to implement effective coping strategies. 12. Practice Gratitude Research suggests that focusing on gratitude helps to calm the deep limbic areas and enhance the other judgment centers of your brain. People who express gratitude on a regular basis are healthier, more optimistic, make better progress toward their goals, have a greater sense of well-being, and are more helpful to others. Practicing gratitude first thing in the morning can improve your mood and promote feelings of contentment throughout the day. Be More Mindful of Your Brain Among the many benefits of practicing mindfulness is that it can help reduce stress and induce a state of calm. Also, it may increase your joy and give you a greater sense of purpose in life. Applying these practical tips can help you become more mindful of your brain. Take a few minutes and try one today! At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen. References: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation Martino, J., Pegg, J., & Frates, E. P. (2017). The connection prescription: Using the power of social interactions and the deep desire for connectedness to empower health and wellness. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(6), 466–475. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827615608788 Cheng, M.-F. (2017). Adult neurogenesis in injury-induced self-repair: Use it or lose it. Brain Plasticity, 2(2), 115–126. https://doi.org/10.3233/BPL-160030
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Meditation for Beginners: How to Easily Meditate for Stress on Your Own
When a popular home improvement store has the tagline, “How doers get more done,” it’s clear our culture values doing. But how well is all that “doing” working for us? It may be making us stressed. According to The American Institute of Stress, the latest statistics show (pre-pandemic) that 77% of us experience stress that affects our physical health, 73% of us have stress that impacts our mental health, and nearly half of us have trouble sleeping due to stress. It’s time to place more value on being. That’s where meditation comes in. Although it’s been around for thousands of years as a spiritual exercise, today, people are learning how to meditate specifically for stress relief. A National Institutes of Health survey reported that since 2012 the number of people practicing meditation has tripled! Meditation and Stress While some stress is good and normal, prolonged stress isn’t. In a state of extreme stress, our sympathetic nervous system releases stress hormones so that we’re ready for a “fight or flight” response. This can happen when we overdo it. Yet, we also have the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for maintaining homeostasis. It helps us recover from a stressed state. It’s the “being” to our “doing.” Medical studies have shown that individuals who practice meditation daily have lower blood levels of these stress hormones, which indicates the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Evidence also suggests that meditation may help support healthy blood pressure levels, as well as gut health. It can also promote calm, elevate low mood, and even help with sleeplessness. Some emerging studies indicate that meditation is good for the brain as well, helping to protect it from aging and to process information and emotions better. Meditation Techniques for Beginners So why isn’t everyone meditating? Being still requires a certain level of discipline. With endless distractions, too many of us will find anything to do besides be with our inner lives. That said, there are ways to ease your way into meditation. All you need is a genuine willingness to try. There are many different types of meditation – some of the most popular include mindfulness meditation, mantra meditation, guided meditation, walking meditation, yoga, tai chi, and chi gong. Here are a few easy meditations for beginners. Breathing Meditation From Dr. Andrew Weil, this 4-7-8 breathing meditation can be done at any time of the day or night. It’s both energizing and calming. And it’s super simple. Sit comfortably. Move the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth and keep it there. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. Always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. Sit quietly for a few minutes once you finish, taking note of the changes in your body. Let your mind go wherever it wishes. Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness as a concept helps us put some “space” between ourselves and our reactions, so that we get freedom from our conditioned responses. Here’s a simple mindfulness meditation. Set aside a designated amount of time, in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Start by focusing on your breathing in and out, the sensations in your body and being fully present in the current moment. Your goal is to pay attention to this present moment without judgment. Your mind will invariably go off on a thought process, out of the moment. When it does this, bring your attention back to the present moment. You will likely do this over and over. There’s no judgment. Keep recognizing when your mind has wandered off and gently bring it back. The work is just to keep practicing it. Results may begin to appear in your daily life, such as being less reactive, slower to be upset. This is good for stress levels! Guided Meditation Guided meditation has become wildly popular in the digital space. Some of the top apps include Headspace, Calm, and Sattva. All you have to do is download an app, select a meditation, and you’re good to go! You can choose a mindfulness meditation or a meditation designed to calm anxiousness and stress. The apps offer meditations with sacred music, soothing sounds, and nature sounds. There are meditations designed to calm you before bed, too. These meditations come in varying lengths. You can start short and move your way up to longer meditations as you’re ready. Using these guided meditations provides structure, variety, and ease. The Value of Being Remember that life is equally about “being” as it is about “doing.” Meditation will help you be more present during the day, and less stressed and concerned with all that you need to do. Stick with it until you find what works for you! At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
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7 Best Ways to Reclaim Your Life with a Digital Detox
Why You May Be Ready for a Digital Detox While technology has improved our lives in countless ways, it has also presented many unique challenges. Due to the prevalence of digital devices, people today have grown accustomed to using social media to stay connected with the world. However, overdependence on devices can cause people to feel isolated – which is a double whammy in our stay-at-home existence. Most people place a high priority on maintaining strong connections. Sadly, social media can only provide the semblance of connection to others. "The bitter paradox of social media is that even while connected you can feel isolated." Your Brain and Screens Mounting research suggests that excessive screen time may be linked to cognitive, behavioral, and mood problems. The longing for genuine connection may create a vicious circle where a lonely individual interacts on social media only to feel more alone and isolated. This emptiness may create a craving for a deeper connection that leads to even longer screen sessions. Due to this growing hunger for connection, many have become attached to their devices over time. If left unchecked, this near-obsessive need can lead to digital dependence. Digital Dependence Few would argue that we’re becoming increasingly dependent on technology. For many, the desire to stay connected to the internet 24/7 has become a compulsion. But is there such a thing as digital dependence, and if so, does it come with a price? Leading cognitive neuroscientists (some specializing in “technopathology”) have identified new brain complications linked to society’s widespread reliance upon technology. These conditions range from a kind of separation panic over misplacing a device to hearing a phantom ring when no one is calling. Physical Complications In addition to its unhealthy influences on the brain, screen fixation also can take its toll on the body. Many screen bound individuals live a sedentary lifestyle. Becoming the proverbial “couch potato” can prevent you from maintaining healthy habits such as consistent physical activity, a healthy diet, and proper motivation to set and achieve goals…not to mention much-needed socialization. Remaining sedentary can increase risk factors for many illnesses and can even shorten your lifespan. One study found that internet obsession can even weaken immune function. Sleep Disruptions Spending long hours staring at screens can also disrupt your sleep. This is particularly true at night since the artificial light from screens can delay melatonin production and disrupt your body’s 24-hour circadian rhythms and sleep/wake cycle. Since sleep deprivation is linked to a host of mental and physical issues, it’s best to tuck in your devices at least one hour before you tuck yourself into bed. Bottom line: spending too much time browsing the internet, engaging on social media, watching TV and movies, playing video games, or occupying yourself with any other leisure activity that involves a screen, can potentially steal your health. To prevent the many adverse effects associated with screen fixation, try these 7 simple ways to improve your digital well-being: 7 Ways to Reset Your Mind with a Digital Detox 1. Get Moving When you’re sitting on the couch watching TV or YouTube, your brain isn’t being challenged. Find an outdoor activity (such as hiking, biking, walking, jogging, etc.) you enjoy so much, you’d rather do it than look at a screen. It’s recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, so get moving. 2. Healthy Pleasure Centers Deep inside the brain, your pleasure centers respond to several neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine. When dopamine is depleted, low mood and motivation are much more likely to occur. Monitor your high-excitement activities, limit video games, and boost your dopamine naturally by engaging in meaningful conversations and fun outdoor activities. 3. Tech Timeout It’s not unusual for parents to limit their kids’ TV or tablet time, so why shouldn’t that same rule apply to adults? Establish a time when all devices will be turned off for the remainder of the evening. Not only will this provide a break from calling, texting, browsing the internet, and posting content on social media, it will allow you to spend more time with family. 4. Streamline Your Screen Time Using devices or playing video games for hours on end can be habit-forming. Excessive screen time has been linked to a greater risk of developing attention problems. Determine a screen time limit each day and use a timer to remind you to disengage from screens and engage with people. 5. Tech-free Bedroom Remove all electronic devices from your bedroom since they emit light that can stimulate the brain and keep you awake. A tech-free bedroom can help reduce harmful electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), which might also interfere with your sleep. Creating a relaxing environment, free from the distractions of the outside world, may help facilitate better sleep. 6. One Screen at a Time It’s common for people to use more than one form of technology at the same time. To prevent your attention from being divided by multiple devices, follow the “one screen at a time” rule. This should aid your ability to focus while also giving your overstimulated brain some much-needed downtime. 7. Internet Fast A great way to prevent the onset of digital dependence is to reserve one day of the week for the internet fast. Rather than being glued to a screen all day, find a new hobby, have a quality conversation, start an exercise routine, or enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. You might be surprised at how many things you can do, and how much fun you can have while taking a break from the internet. Implementing these 7 tips can help limit your screen time, reduce your exposure to EMFs, and improve your mental, physical, and overall well-being. Most importantly, they can help you live in harmony with technology rather than being controlled by it. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
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