How to Reduce Your Stress & Manage Brain Strain

7 Tips to maintain your brain health

You’re sitting there with your head in your hands, desperate to reduce your stress. All that stress is having a vacation in your brain and it’s bringing you down.

Your brain is precious cargo, and you have to take care of it. If you don’t, you’re at risk for Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other cognitive decline. You don’t want that, right?

So, let’s cover some ways to manage your stress and strain on your brain. Let’s dive in.

1. Exercise

Regular exercise is important for your body, but did you know it’s good for your brain too? Regular exercise can help you:

Reduce stress and anxiety

When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins have mood-boosting effects and make you happy. Exercise also helps you sleep better, which can reduce your depression and anxiety.

Strengthen your brain

Exercise helps strengthen your brain and prevent cognitive decline. Studies have shown consistent exercise reduces the risk of dementia and other brain ailments.

Improve memory

Exercise improves the connection between neurons in your brain. It increases blood flow and oxygen to your brain, especially the hippocampus. And the hippocampus is essential in memory development. The hippocampus is responsible for converting short-term memory into long-term.

2. Stay Mentally Active

Stay mentally active by trying new things and doing mental exercises. Here are a few ways you can stay mentally active:

Read
Travel
Socialize
Volunteer
Learn a new skill
Play mental games, like crosswords and puzzles

3. Catch Those Zzz’s

Sleep is a critical part of brain health. Without it, you become tired, cranky, and irritable. Good sleep will help you improve your mood and memory, encourage creativity, and consolidate memories.

4. Put Color On Your Plate

A healthy diet can help improve your memory, mood, and cognitive function. It can also help protect your brain from damage and disease.

Eat more fruits and vegetables that come from the Earth. Make a rainbow on your plate with all the different colored fruits and veggies (no, skittles don’t count).

5. Limit Stress

While some stress can be good, an excess can cause brain strain. Excessive stress can cause the body to release cortisol, which is the fight-or-flight hormone. When you have too much cortisol, it affects your brain and body. Excessive stress can:

Damage your brain cells
Reduce the size of your hippocampus
Increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Change the way your brain processes information

Manage your stress and keep it from ruling your life. Manage your time, take breaks, and laugh more.

6. Avoid Drugs & Alcohol

To protect your brain, reduce your drug and alcohol intake. Excessive drinking can shrink the hippocampus and interfere with your sleep. Drinking inhibits the function of your neurons, which can affect your energy and mood.

7. Protect Your Head

Imagine falling off a bike without a helmet. But that hurt, didn’t it? When it comes to brain health, it’s important to protect your head, too. The more you bump, bang, and hit your head, the more likely it is to cause problems.

Conclusion

You finally managed to get your stress under control and can say goodbye to stress headaches.

You learned how to care for your brain, including:

Exercising
Staying mentally active
Sleeping well
Eating a nutrient-filled diet
Limiting your stress
Avoiding alcohol
Protecting your head

Undoubtedly, you’ll be faced with stress again, but now you’re equipped to handle it like a beast.

Ready to level yourself up and become the best version of yourself? Download my free journaling guide now.

Maggie Kelly is a freelance writer who writes about mental health, self-help, and psychology. Contact at maggiepkelly@gmail.com