Keeping the mind healthy is as important as keeping the body healthy. To maintain brain health, entrepreneurs sell brain-training apps. These apps use games that are designed to improve memory, executive functioning, and other cognitive skills. But, are they really beneficial?
Studies are mixed on the actual benefits that these brain-training games supply. You can learn more about general health for the mind and body at ConserveHealth. The games offer some benefits to older adults, but researchers haven’t found many benefits for young adults. What researchers have found is that there are three key areas that do help improve the mind
- Regular and restful sleep
The brain and the body require regular and restful sleep. The exact amount of sleep varies from person to person, but the average amount of necessary sleep is still eight hours per night. It is best to sleep in a dark room at a cool temperature. You should not have any electronics on during your sleep including televisions and smartphones.
You should also begin preparing yourself for sleep a few hours before you go to bed. Experts recommend exercising everyday, for at least 20 to 30 minutes. But, you should stop exercising a few hours before your bedtime. You should also stop drinking caffeinated beverages and alcoholic beverages several hours before you go to sleep, too. If you smoke, do not smoke before bedtime. It is also best to avoid taking naps after 3 PM and to go to bed at the same time each night.
- Daily exercise
Regular exercise is also key to brain health. When you exercise, oxygen pumps through the body at a higher rate of speed, delivering fresh blood to the brain. Exercise also releases endorphins, which help the body relax. Those same endorphins act like antidepressants, making people feel good about themselves and the world around them.
When the blood pumps through the body, it releases hormones that boost brain cell growth. When brain cells are encouraged to grow, new neural connections are made, which improves memory and learning. The way the brain functions actually improves with regular exercise. People feel more creative and have new ideas after their exercise sessions because of changes in the brain’s plasticity.
- Friends
Another unexpected way to improve the health of the mind is by making friends and spending time with them. Researchers have studied the way that children’s brains respond when they are spending time with friends. Researchers have found that brains become active when we spend time with people we consider our friends. This is likely due to the fact that people are social creatures who have been working in groups, tribes, classrooms, and offices for generations.
The power of relationships has even shown to help students learn better in school. School researchers have found that students tend to remember new things when they are taught by teachers that they like. In fact, educational studies found that students learn best when they are surrounded by teachers who support them socially and emotionally. No computer app can replicate human interaction with friends.
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