These Brain Exercises Are The Most Clinically Proven To Work
When I see patients in their 40s and 50s, a lot of them ask if there are ways to exercise their brain and stave off cognitive decline in their 70s and 80s. (The best time to ask this question is as early as possible!) Fortunately, there are some simple ways to exercise your brain, based on peer-reviewed research, that may strengthen your cognitive skills.
Many of us spend time thinking about our physical fitness, but what about our mental fitness? Your brain is a complex organ — responsible for movements, mood, and more. If your brain isn’t working properly, your mental health and executive function will suffer.
If we hit the gym to work out our quads and biceps, we should also work out our brains to maintain a healthy mind. Here are 6 clinically-supported ways I recommend to exercise your brain and take control of your health.
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1. Fast
Fasting might seem like an exercise for your body, but your brain reaps a good portion of the health benefits from fasting. A study published in the Trends in Cognitive Sciences journal suggests that continuous consumption of food causes changes in epigenetic molecular DNA and protein that negatively impact cognition. (1)
Allowing your body to fast for at least 14 hours overnight is one of the best ways to reverse this cycle and exercise your brain’s repair mechanisms. Experts call this non-eating period “intermittent fasting” or “time-restricted eating.”
Intermittent fasting has been shown to slow the progress of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. (2)
In my book Intuitive Fasting, I dive into all the ways fasting can enhance cognitive function coupled with a 4-week plan designed to guide you through varying intermittent fasting windows.
2. Spend More Time Outside
Regular time spent in nature is fantastic exercise for your brain! Exercise is great, but simply spending a part of your day outside can improve your mood and brain health.
Going outside can reduce stress levels and inflammation, both of which may contribute to cognitive decline. (3, 4, 5) Learn more about reducing brain inflammation here. Sunlight also provides you with vitamin D, which is important for preventing brain fog and memory issues. (6)
LISTEN: Dr. Gabrielle Lyon: The Shocking Longevity & Brain Science That Will Save Your Life
3. Learn An Instrument
Now we’re really getting into the “exercise” part of the equation. Learning an instrument takes hard work and dedication, but it can be very rewarding. Even becoming a passable novice may enhance your problem-solving skills and increase your brain’s processing speed.
This 2021 study concluded, “musical instrument training program may contribute to improvements in verbal memory and neural efficiency in novice older adults.” (7) Learning new skills — like an instrument, dance, or a new language, has been shown to strengthen the connections in your brain and improve overall memory function. (8)
Read Next: How To Boost Your Brain Health & Restore Your Mental Clarity
4. Teach Yourself A New Language
Learning new things exercises your brain. Teaching yourself a new language is a huge feat that may improve your brain health. Early research indicates that learning a second language can improve older adults’ working memory. (9)
A 2018 mini-review shows that learning a new language benefits older adults with enhanced self-esteem, higher self-esteem, and more opportunities for social interactions — which are generally known to slow cognitive impairment. (10)
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5. Eat A Low-Carb Diet
I always recommend my patients eat healthier, but better eating looks different for each person. A diet high in refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pastas) may result in neurocognitive deficits, so consider a low-carb diet such as the keto diet. (11)
There’s no greater distraction to your body than constantly-fluctuating blood sugar levels. Luckily, a clean, plant-centric ketogenic diet — which I designed as the Ketotarian Diet — is a great way to support blood sugar levels and give your brain the space it needs to work at optimal capacity.
When you’re in ketosis, your body and brain run out of blood sugar to burn for fuel, so they must utilize ketone bodies (derived from fats) for fuel. Ketone bodies can induce the expressions of proteins such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is known for supporting the survival of existing brain cells and encouraging the growth of new brain cells. (12)
Better blood sugar levels and a healthier brain? That’s a win-win.
6. Meditate
If there’s an ultimate exercise for your brain, I’d say it’s meditation. Meditation increases the thickness of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, slowing cognitive decline and encouraging neuroplasticity, which is your brain’s ability to regenerate itself by making new connections.
Studies have also shown that meditation can increase gray matter in parts of the brain that are responsible for mood stabilization and create more activity in areas of the brain responsible for memory and focus. (13, 14) Check out this comprehensive list of meditation’s research-based benefits.
You Need A Guide To Help Work Your Brain
At my telehealth functional medicine clinic, I see countless people every year struggling with poor short-term memory, brain fog, hindered productivity, and age-related illnesses. By doing these 6 exercises, you can strengthen your brain and promote better cognitive health for life.
Want to learn more about how to optimize your own health situation? We offer in-person as well as phone and webcam consultations for people across the country and around the world.
FAQs
Brain exercises, brain games, and brain training maintain and strengthen brain health. Different specialists may use these terms interchangeably or to mean different things, but they generally refer to the same brain-boosting activities.
Every day! You should engage in brain exercises each day of the week to see cognitive improvements. Intermittent fasting, going outside, eating healthier, meditating, and even filling out a Sudoku or crossword puzzle are simple daily activities that should support a healthy brain.
While you’re at it, maybe delete some of the social media apps from your phone that grab your attention and trick you into endlessly scrolling.
Yes, moderate-intensity physical activity is beneficial to your brain’s well-being and may stave off memory loss. Aerobic physical exercise reduces inflammation, promotes whole-body wellness, and keeps your brain sharp through multiple mechanisms.
There is some research behind brain games strengthening your cognitive abilities. Fun brain games include:
- Crossword puzzles
- Sudoku puzzles
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Board games
- Certain card games
- Certain video games
- Brain training apps
- Fun new hobbies
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- Mattson, M. P. (2019). An evolutionary perspective on why food overconsumption impairs cognition. Trends in cognitive sciences, 23(3), 200-212.
- Gudden, J., Arias Vasquez, A., & Bloemendaal, M. (2021). The effects of intermittent fasting on brain and cognitive function. Nutrients, 13(9), 3166.
- Ewert, A., & Chang, Y. (2018). Levels of nature and stress response. Behavioral Sciences, 8(5), 49.
- Andersen, L., Corazon, S. S., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2021). Nature exposure and its effects on immune system functioning: a systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), 1416.
- Sartori, A. C., Vance, D. E., Slater, L. Z., & Crowe, M. (2012). The impact of inflammation on cognitive function in older adults: implications for healthcare practice and research. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 44(4), 206-217.
- Wilkins, C. H., Sheline, Y. I., Roe, C. M., Birge, S. J., & Morris, J. C. (2006). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults. The American journal of geriatric psychiatry, 14(12), 1032-1040.
- Guo, X., Yamashita, M., Suzuki, M., Ohsawa, C., Asano, K., Abe, N., ... & Sekiyama, K. (2021). Musical instrument training program improves verbal memory and neural efficiency in novice older adults. Human Brain Mapping, 42(5), 1359-1375.
- Park, D. C., Lodi-Smith, J., Drew, L., Haber, S., Hebrank, A., Bischof, G. N., & Aamodt, W. (2014). The impact of sustained engagement on cognitive function in older adults: The Synapse Project. Psychological science, 25(1), 103-112.
- Ware, C., Dautricourt, S., Gonneaud, J., & Chételat, G. (2021). Does second language learning promote neuroplasticity in aging? a systematic review of cognitive and neuroimaging studies. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 13, 706672.
- Klimova, B. (2018). Learning a foreign language: A review on recent findings about its effect on the enhancement of cognitive functions among healthy older individuals. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 12, 305.
- Hawkins, M. A., Keirns, N. G., & Helms, Z. (2018). Carbohydrates and cognitive function. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 21(4), 302-307.
- Mattson, M. P., Moehl, K., Ghena, N., Schmaedick, M., & Cheng, A. (2018). Intermittent metabolic switching, neuroplasticity and brain health. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(2), 81-94.
- Leung, M. K., Chan, C. C., Yin, J., Lee, C. F., So, K. F., & Lee, T. M. (2013). Increased gray matter volume in the right angular and posterior parahippocampal gyri in loving-kindness meditators. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 8(1), 34-39.
- Baron Short, E., Kose, S., Mu, Q., Borckardt, J., Newberg, A., George, M. S., & Kozel, F. A. (2010). Regional brain activation during meditation shows time and practice effects: an exploratory FMRI study. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 7, 121-127.
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BY DR. WILL COLE
Dr. Will Cole, DNM, IFMCP, DC is a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world. Named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation, Dr. Will Cole provides a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum and the brand new book Gut Feelings: Healing the Shame-Fueled Relationship Between What You Eat and How You Feel.
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