I've been thinking a lot lately about mental clarity. So much of life demands that we stay on top of things mentally. Why is it that sometimes our performance seems to lag or our mind becomes so clouded that we have a hard time making critical decisions? In my quest for these answers, I've discovered some tips to help you keep in tip-top mental shape.
First, I want to emphasize the importance on sleep. For man people, sleep is viewed as a luxury. With our fast-paced society, we always try to maximize our time and energies, even if that means cheating ourselves of much needed rest. Our bodies absolutely require sleep in order to function. By working long hours and not sleeping well, our brains do not have a chance to rest and rejuvenate. Instead, our short-term memory fails, our creativity is virtually non-existent, and our comprehension declines dramatically. The recommended amount of sleep per night is between 7 and 9 hours.
Another way to stay mentally sharp is exercise. I mentioned in my early post that exercise does help the brain function, but let me explain why. During physical activity, the heart beats faster, allowing more blood to enter the brain. This carries out waste, enhances energy, and causes the cerebral blood vessels to grow. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week.
According to the Franklin Institute for Science Learning, senior citizens who walked 20 minutes per day showed significant improvements in memory. When compared to a group of people medicated for their memory loss, exercisers "showed significant improvements in the higher mental processes of memory and in "executive functions" that involve planning, organization, and the ability to mentally juggle different intellectual tasks at the same time." Dr. Blumenthal of the Franklin Institute states this:
"What we found so fascinating was that exercise had its beneficial effect in specific areas of cognitive function that are rooted in the frontal and prefrontal regions of the brain. The implications are that exercise might be able to offset some of the mental declines that we often associate with the aging process."
The consumption of protein has a lot to do with mental health. Protein is used to create neurotransmitters in the brain that optimize brain functioning. Also, a lack of healthy fats such as avocados, Omega-3 from fish, and nuts in your diet can lead to depression, poor memory, low IQ, learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADD and many more mental disorders.
Sleep, exercise, and diet all play a crucial role in mental health. However to reach optimum brain functionality, all of these elements must work together.
Julie Anne Osterhus
Marketing Specialist
Uri International
www.jewelsofhealth.biz
1 comment:
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