Protect and improve your Brain function with these simple steps
You must feed your brain—more specifically, your hippocampi—if you want to preserve or enhance your recall.
The temporal lobes contain a set of structures about the size of a thumb that are essential to learning and memory. Due to their resemblance to aquatic animals, you may be more familiar with them as the hippocampus, which is the Greek term for “sea horse.” Your everyday routine either strengthens or weakens your hippocampi.

Our brain is the most important organ in our body, and it is responsible for controlling everything we do, from walking and talking to thinking and remembering. As we age, our brain function and memory can decline, which can affect our quality of life. However, there are ways to improve brain function and memory, and they are easier than you might think.
The hippocampi support memory and learning when they are in good condition. Memory issues, cognitive decline, and in severe instances, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are all linked to shrinkage, or loss of volume, in these brain structures.
How to keep hippocampi and the rest of your brain healthy
Firstly, one of the best ways to improve brain function and memory is to exercise regularly. Exercise is not only good for our physical health, but it can also improve our cognitive function. Studies have shown that exercise can increase blood flow to the brain, which can help to stimulate the growth of new brain cells and improve brain function. Even just 30 minutes of exercise per day can make a big difference. Numerous studies have shown that aerobic exercise, such as those published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, can boost hippocampal volume. Furthermore, more hippocampal cells are advantageous for remembering and learning. But also other types on exercise especially in free nature increase heart function, our heart pumps more fresh oxygen into our brain which directly increases brain nourishment and brain function.
Exercise also shields the hippocampi from the damaging impacts of ongoing stress, according to neuropsychology. Even better, you can reap the advantages without having to complete a marathon. According to a study published on Hippocampus, walking slowly made the hippocampus in elderly women’s brains grow larger.
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Secondly, eating a healthy diet can also improve brain function and memory. Our brain requires a lot of energy to function properly, and the food we eat can affect our brain function. Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, can help to protect our brain cells from damage and improve brain function. Additionally, foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts, can help to improve memory and cognitive function. As the brain is impacted by numerous bodily systems, including the cardiovascular, immune, endocrine, and digestive systems, the solution lies in consuming foods that are good for the entire body. Because the brain uses the energy provided by the vasculature to operate, risk factors for stroke and heart disease are closely related to risk factors for dementia.

Avoid processed foods and fast foods as those could be full of unhealthy fats. Avoid sugary drinks and reduce alcohol intake. Drink plenty of water.
Thirdly, getting enough sleep is essential for improving brain function and memory. When we sleep, our brain consolidates memories and removes toxins, which can improve our cognitive function. Studies have shown that people who get enough sleep have better memory and cognitive function than those who don’t. The majority of learning requires focus and concentration, which are enhanced by getting enough hours of high-quality sleep. Numerous other parts of thinking, such as memory, problem-solving, creativity, emotional processing, and judgment, are also supported by sleep.
The hypothalamus, a tiny, almond-shaped portion of the brain, controls sleep. It is in charge of managing emotions, controlling appetite, and controlling body temperature in addition to releasing hormones and establishing your internal body schedule. However, for it to function effectively, the appropriate light signals must be sent to it at the appropriate moments. Your body simply won’t operate properly if your sleep is interrupted or irregular, leaving you in a cycle of daytime fatigue and nighttime insomnia.
Lack of sleep not only makes you tired or exhausted, but it can also mess with your brain and cause a variety of issues, some of which are more serious than others. Lack of sleep impairs your brain’s ability to encode information and translate it into the appropriate course of action, which can cause issues with visual awareness as well as mental lapses and memory loss.
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Fourthly, engaging in mentally stimulating activities can also improve brain function and memory. Activities such as reading, doing puzzles, can help to improve cognitive function and memory. Additionally, learning a new skill, such as playing a musical instrument or learning a new language, can help to improve cognitive function and memory.
Learning new abilities is one of the best things you can do for your hippocampi. A study published in National Library of Medicine showed that intensive learning, such as going to law school or medical school, enlarges the hippocampi after just 14 weeks.
And going back to education is not the only way to improve this brain shape. The mere act of picking up a musical instrument, according to National Library of Medicine released in the Journal of Neuroscience, can help increase the hippocampi’s volume. Additionally, it improves neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change its connections, structure, and functionality. Essentially, this is what allows your brain to adapt to you.

Finally, reducing stress can also improve brain function and memory. While short term stress can improve alertness and can contribute to improvement of memory and improved brain function, chronic stress does the opposite. Chronic stress can affect our brain function and memory, so finding ways to reduce stress, such as practicing mindfulness or engaging in relaxation techniques, can help to improve cognitive function and memory.
It is well known that stress can be detrimental to both physical and emotional wellbeing. Unfortunately, it harms your hippocampi as well. According to animal studies, prolonged worry shrinks the hippocampi. In essence, prolonged exposure to stress chemicals like cortisol causes the hippocampi’s newly formed cells to die. Furthermore, worry in midlife has been linked to a later-life decline in cognitive function.
It is more challenging to learn when under stress because individuals find it more challenging to form short-term memories and convert those short-term memories into long-term memories.
When stress occurs more often than wanted, fortunately there are techniques you can use in order to relieve or to eliminate stress symptoms. Develop your breathing methods and other skills. In comparison to cadets who didn’t learn and apply these techniques, one study of police cadets in training showed that psychological performance training can improve recall of cadets who experienced stress. This means that you can use your breathing, concentration, and vivid visualization to help you cope with tension. These techniques have been shown to be effective.
Be active. According to a study that looked at how an aerobic exercise program affected individuals with memory impairment, those who participated in the 12-week program had better memory than those who did not. Engage in awareness. Researchers discovered that mindfulness practice can improve your memory by reducing the stress that may be impairing it as well as by allowing better quality sleep.
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By reading this article you have potentially learned one or two new things which directly helps your brain and your memory. Stay active, continuously learn new things, reduce stress, eat well and you will be on the right track to help your brain grow old but full of memory and intact operations.