You’re smarter than you think! The brain needs some specific conditions to function at its best, and when you know how to take care of your brain, maximum cognitive function is easy to achieve. Here are five daily habits that will improve your focus and increase your brain power:
1. Solve a Puzzle
Solving puzzles is a great way to exercise your brain! Popular puzzle games like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and puzzle apps on smartphones are fun way to challenge your mind and have fun doing it. People who solve a puzzle a day are less likely to develop memory problems. Mechanical puzzles, like Rubik’s cubes and disentanglement puzzles, are proven to improve spatial awareness.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Contrary to popular belief, adults don’t need less sleep as they age. The human body functions best on seven or eight hours of sleep a night, so getting enough rest is crucial for a high-functioning brain. The best way to ensure a good night’s sleep is to maintain a consistent sleeping and waking cycle, even when you don’t have work the next morning. By setting a routine bedtime, you’ll fall asleep faster, wake up without an alarm, and get a consistent amount of sleep each night. Best of all, you’ll wake up refreshed and alert instead of groggy and tired.
3. Keep a Journal
Whether you’re a writer or not, writing down your experiences, emotions, and thoughts is a great way to calm your mind. Leather notebooks make great journals that you can write in them every day. The act of writing will be a therapeutic emotional release for your mind. You don’t have to write much, just make sure that you write daily. Write to work out solutions to your problems or vent your day’s frustrations. Your mind will thank you.
4. Exercise
Most people associate working out with physical strength, but exercising isn’t just about your muscles. Exercising increases blood flow, releases endorphins, and actually boosts physical energy, especially if you exercise daily. Don’t worry; your exercise regimen doesn’t need to involve expensive equipment. Just taking a walk around your block every day will increase blood flow to your brain and sharpen your focus.
5. Relax
Day-to-day anxiety levels block your brain’s ability to function at a hundred percent. It’s important to find just a few minutes of every day to relax, focus on yourself, and do something that makes you happy. Just a few minutes of relaxation can dramatically improve your stamina, attention span, and mood.
This article was written by Dixie Somers. Dixie is a freelance writer and blogger who gets much of her inspiration from her three young girls.
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