Increasing your mental concentration and focus can lead to major improvements in every area of your life. Whether you are an artist, an athlete, a parent, a scientist, or a professional in some other field, your performance will benefit from anything you do to stimulate brain health. Your relationships may start to feel less complicated, your visions for the future more prominent, and your overall mood much lighter. Consider trying some of the following strategies for promoting mental clarity.
Stabilizing Sleep Schedules
First and foremost, a consistently rejuvenating sleep cycle is imperative for proper brain function. Deep sleep clears away unnecessary emotional energy, processes minute details from the day, and encourages the regeneration of brain cells. Surely you are familiar with the harrowing brain fog that accompanies fatigue and insomnia; the idea is to foster the opposite of that. Going to sleep and waking up at regular intervals is key. If you struggle to drift off each night, it could be that you aren’t exercising enough during the day. Burning calories and increasing your heart rate signals your body that a resting and digesting period is imminent. The more movement you can get in, the better.
Incredibly enough, exercise is a wonderful solution for grogginess, too; the blood flow to your brain will wake up your entire being and allow you to concentrate on your other responsibilities. For a supplementary solution to drowsiness, what is Thrive may be able to assist you in your efforts to equalize your sleep schedule.
Eating Brain Foods
The brain is the largest internal organ of the human body and the most complex by far. Because it is responsible for monitoring and adjusting all of the vital systems that keep you alive, your brain needs to be able to reap the benefits of what you eat. While a normally balanced diet will serve this purpose in a general sense, there are certain foods that can provide additional benefit to your mental capacities. Brain cells are composed of healthy fats like omega-3s, which are found abundantly in fatty fishes like sardines, salmon, and trout. One can also get omegas from avocados, almonds, and walnuts. Meanwhile, essential vitamin K is derived from broccoli and its relatives, allowing the brain to synthesize those healthy fats needed for brain cell function. Luckily for you, researchers have found that delicious dark chocolate contains flavonoids that can boost memory retention and prevent symptoms of mental decline associated with aging. Incorporating any of these foods into your diet is an excellent idea.
Setting Incremental Goals
Challenging your mental faculties by learning a new language, practicing an instrument, or attempting to perfect a dance routine literally creates new electrochemical pathways in the brain. In fact, setting realistic incremental goals around any skill set will establish a noticeable work-and-reward pattern. This amplifies the role of mental discipline in feeling happy and healthy. It’s true what they say –– what you pay attention to will grow! Set your sights on an activity that brings you joy and excitement. Then, devise a personalized plan for yourself around specific milestones you’d like to accomplish. The more you intentionally focus on a particular objective, the more likely you are to form a concrete habit around it. As you start to see your efforts paying off, it will only become easier to pursue your dreams without serious exertion. You will then start to free up mental space for novel pursuits. Last yet certainly not least, be sure to alternate strenuous mental activity with substantial breaks. Failing to do so will inevitably lead to exhaustion. Whether you decide to stare out the window, listen to your favorite music, meditate with a cup of tea, or go on a long walk, these periods of passivity are fundamental to the cultivation of mental clarity. There are many interesting ways to enhance your brain’s health. Figure out what works for you and enjoy the incredible results!