6 daily habits for a healthy brain and clear mind

Your brain is the control center of your body, influencing everything from your thoughts and emotions to your memory and decision-making. Just like the rest of your body, your brain thrives on good habits and daily care.

The choices you make each day—what you eat, how much you move, how you manage stress—can have a profound impact on your brain’s health and longevity.

So, what can you do to keep your brain sharp? Let’s explore simple yet powerful habits that can help boost your focus, enhance your memory and support long-term brain health.

Why lifestyle matters for brain health

The two ingredients that go into brain health are genetics and lifestyle. We can’t alter our genetics to affect our brain health, but we can alter our lifestyle. Your lifestyle includes all the little decisions you make every day that influence what’s going on in your brain.

Over time, these factors all weigh into your brain health. The habits that you form early in life go a long way in determining longevity and quality of life.

If you’re young, now is the time to start these healthy habits. If you’re not so young, you still have the power to influence your brain health and well-being as you age.

6 habits for a healthy brain

Let’s talk about a few key habits that can help keep your brain sharp.

1. Sleep

Sleep is not emphasized enough. There’s an interesting new theory about how sleep and risk of Demencia are interrelated. The theory is that all of us are accumulating “trash” (called amyloid) in our brains all the time. Just like the trash that accumulates in your kitchen until you take it out to the curb once a week, all of us develop trash in our bodies.

Some of that trash is eliminated through urine and feces, but some of it accumulates in the brain—and it's during sleep that the “trash truck” comes to take it away.

If you don’t get enough sleep, the trash builds up and can eventually lead to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. 

Sleep is also crucial for us to have energy and show up in life. If you’re struggling with fatigue, memory issues or brain fog, you should take a look at how you can improve your sleep quality.

While individual needs vary, the absolute minimum amount of sleep to strive for as an adult is seven hours. However, many people feel better with closer to eight to nine hours. If you’re having trouble sleeping, ask your primary care physician for help.

2. Diet

Think of your body like a car. If you put bad gas in your car, it won’t run properly. The same goes for your body—you have to fuel it with the right nutrients. The food we put into our bodies is what gets converted into the chemicals that make our brains and bodies function.

Aim to eat three meals a day, starting with a balanced breakfast to kickstart your day. What does a “balanced” plate look like? A balanced plate contains protein, healthy fats and a small amount of carbs. This balanced meal will help sustain you and provide your body and brain with the fuel it needs.

Balancing your meals also helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Blood sugar issues can cause you to feel tired and unable to focus, as well as increase your risk of other health problems like Carrera  and heart disease.

Opt for carbohydrate sources with a lower glycemic index, like most vegetables and fruits, nuts, beans and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats and barley).

Your primary care physician or a registered dietitian can help you learn how to build a healthy plate that will keep you fueled with the right nutrients.

3. Avoid risky behaviors

For your brain health and your health in general, make smart choices. There are several risky behaviors and habits that can cause significant damage to your brain and increase your risk of other serious conditions.

• Limit alcohol: Alcohol is a slippery slope. While a small amount of alcohol may not be harmful (and some would argue that it’s actually helpful), drinking large amounts of alcohol increases your risk of serious health problems, including dementia, stroke, heart attack, digestive issues and many cancers.
• Avoid smoking: Smoking provides no benefits to your health and is the leading cause of cancer. Do yourself a favor and don’t smoke or vape.
• Wear a helmet: If you’re participating in any dangerous or adventure sports like skiing, skateboarding, rock climbing (or even bike riding), wear a helmet.

4. Exercise

Exercise is critically important to your well-being for so many reasons. That’s because exercise is what gets your blood pumping in order for oxygen to be delivered to your brain.

The more you exercise, the more conditioned your body becomes to get plenty of blood flow to your brain to optimize your brain health.

Many people experience this when starting to exercise for the first time or for the first time in a while. You start to feel more energized, you feel good about yourself and you find yourself in a better, less stressed mood.

Exercise increases your resting metabolic level, which can help get rid of excess fat in the body. This benefit lasts the rest of the day, so your resting metabolism goes up a little bit and you’re able to burn fuel more efficiently.

Exercise also has an anti-inflammatory quality to it. It helps the immune system work better, which plays a role in preventing cancer, heart attack and stroke, among others.

If you’re someone who currently doesn’t exercise, any exercise is better than none. Start somewhere to build up the habit, even if it’s just taking a walk around the neighborhood. Better yet, take a walk with someone you love and make it a time of connection, too.

Walking and jogging are great options for cardiovascular benefits. Strength training and yoga are also beneficial to maintain mobility and strength as we age.

But the best exercise for you? The one you can stick with.

5. Stress

Stress is the enemy of brain health. Some amount of stress is unavoidable. We all experience stress in our daily lives—from navigating traffic to job concerns, finances or household conflicts. But we have to find a way to manage it. One easy way to relieve stress is to exercise regularly. When you’re exercising, it helps to take your mind off the thing causing you stress. Exercise also releases a number of chemicals in the body like endorphins and adrenaline, so you start feeling better in general. This helps reduce stress levels in the body and get cortisol down.

Other tools that can help cope with stress are mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises. Experiment to find what works best for you.

6. Social connection

We humans are very social people. We crave connection, spending time with others and experiencing human touch. Social connection helps keep your brain sharp and helps you cope with stress.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a lot of folks, especially older adults, going into isolation. People who had mild memory issues started experiencing more severe memory problems because of a lack of socialization.

Make time for the people in your life. Spend quality time with friends and family regularly to experience connection and conversation.

If you’re looking to expand your social circle, take up a new hobby, find a class at your local library, join a book club or sports team—there are so many ways to connect with those around you in meaningful ways.

Worried about your brain health?

If you’re having problems with brain fog or lack of focus, and you’re not sure why, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Am I getting enough quality sleep?
• Am I nourishing my body with the right foods?
• Am I exercising regularly?

If the answer isn’t obvious, consider talking to your primary care physician. Brain fog and other neurological symptoms can be related to a vitamin or nutrient deficiency, Diabetes, thyroid condition or other underlying issue.

Find a doctor near you to help you age well.