Simple habits improve mind

One of the beneficial outcomes of neuroscience research for the general public is to give a better understanding of the brain in order to shape one’s lifestyle. There are numerous measures that one can take in order to improve their mental health or to get more out of studying.

An important lifestyle change that will improve brain functioning is increasing hydration and blood flow to the brain. Exercise, especially cardiovascular exercise, is beneficial to any person’s mental health because it significantly increases blood flow to the brain, allowing it to function properly.

It is important to stay hydrated because a large percentage of the brain’s mass is water, which is essential for the biochemical processes to take place.

Having a healthy sex life also improves brain functioning, as oxytocin is produced, which improves one’s ability to think of original solutions. Also, serotonin and dopamine are produced, which help a person’s creative thinking and calm, logical decision-making.

Eating appropriate foods has also been shown to be beneficial for cognitive abilities. Some essential nutrients include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc and amino acids. There are also numerous beneficial dietary supplements such as fish oil, ginkgo biloba and ginseng.

Most college students fall prey to late nights, but getting a full night’s rest is one of the most beneficial things one can do for their mental health. A full night of sleep increases attentiveness and the ability to learn new information.

Also resist the urge to pull an all-nighter, as a Harvard study showed that subjects tested were able to recall information better after 24 hours and a full night of sleep than those tested after only 20 minutes or 12 hours since information encoding.

Sleep helps to prevent a person from being depressed and stressed, which inhibit a person’s ability to recall or encode new information. Other activities which are shown to be detrimental to one’s mental health include drinking, smoking and illegal drugs.

All tobacco products have 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), which causes neuronal death and is even detrimental in the form of second hand smoke. Drinking alcohol in excess can cause a great deal of cognitive defects such as brain damage, Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and memory loss.

In order to stay at your mental best, it is important to keep a positive mental attitude and stay away from toxins.

It was once thought that a person could not grow new nerve cells, but it has been shown that through activity one can form new neuronal connections and grow new nerve cells. Therefore, it is beneficial for one to learn new skills such a playing a musical instrument, or playing challenging games such as Chess or Risk.

Dementia patients have shown that playing word games and puzzles can eventually repair cognitive abilities. Also, surfing the Internet has been shown to be more actively engaging and stimulating in areas that control decision-making and complex reasoning than reading a book.

Another way to improve stimulation is taking notes by hand instead of typing, as the act of writing with a pen or pencil has shown to more effectively stimulate the creative and memory centers of the brain.

Studies have shown that most cognitive abilities constantly decrease from a person’s 20s on out, but this is activity-dependent: it is either use it or lose it.

Lifestyle changes are hard to make and take a constant struggle, but there are a few quick tips one can use to improve their ability to learn.

Know your learning style: If you are a kinesthetic learner, write everything down, keep a journal or make outlines. If you are an auditory learner, say things out loud, use mnemonic devices or word links and explain things out loud to someone else. If you are a visual learner, write down explanations of the material, use color-coded highlighting and use flashcards.

No matter who you are, find a quiet place free of distractions and have a schedule of what you plan to do. It is important to stay focused and free from distractions, but it is also beneficial to take breaks in order to prevent getting burnt out and to be sure that you get a good night of rest.

Every person is different and learns differently, but the most beneficial thing a person can do for their mental health is to be active and engagin