5 Ways to Support Your Brain and Memory

How to banish brain fog and boost your memory naturally.

Why can’t I focus? Most people experience brain fog and forgetfulness as you age. Unfortunately, the decline of cognitive function is a normal part of getting older. Luckily, there are ways to nourish your brain and preserve cognitive health naturally to help you focus. And since lifestyle factors play a pivotal role in brain health, making sure you get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, support mental well-being, and maximize cognitive support through brain supplements will help you sustain brain health and memory for the long haul. Here’s how to maintain memory and concentration.

Get Moving

Not only is exercise important for maintaining a healthy body and bones, it’s also important for brain health and to help focus. Regular physical activity can improve your sleep, memory, brain health, and quality of life. Research suggests exercise may delay brain aging, improve cognitive function and memory, and cause a sense of well-being.

The CDC recommends most adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. This can be broken up however you would like, and any kind of movement is sufficient including going for a walk, dancing, riding a bike to work, strength training, cleaning the house, taking the dog for a walk, or going for a jog. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days per week.

Get Social

Socializing with others plays a critical role in brain health – it is exercise for your brain and the challenges will help you concentrate in the long term too. Getting involved in social activities keeps your brain active and working optimally. Foregoing the opportunity to spend time with others may seem like a viable choice in the moment, but overtime, social isolation does not bode well for cognitive and mental health. If you don’t use it, you lose it sort of thing.

Even if you can’t be with someone physically, there are ways to socialize without being there in person. Here are some ways to support your brain health through socialization:

- Have a video call with a loved one or friend

- Join a club or organization

- Attend an event or workshop

- Eat a meal or have some tea with loved ones

- Take an exercise class

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Food and mood are more connected than you would think. In fact, your diet can affect your cognitive function and memory. Fueling your mind with a balanced diet is important to maintain your brain health and your memory. Plus, several nutrients are responsible for important neurological function in the brain and body.

A diet rich in vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables provides ample antioxidants that protect the brain against oxidative stress and free radical damage that contribute to aging. Dietary protein provides amino acids to produce neurotransmitters in the brain involved in mood, processing information, and cognitive function. Since the brain’s preferred fuel source is sugar, carbohydrates are essential to provide energy. Dietary fats are important to maintain healthy neuronal membranes in the brain. Just like dietary fat is important for brain development, it is also essential for brain maintenance.

The USDA suggests making half your plate fruits and vegetables, then split the remaining half between whole grains, and lean protein.

Use Supplement Support

If you’re still unsure how to improve memory and concentration, supplements for brain health support such as herbal extracts and other nutrients may assist with brain fog. Nowadays, it is easy to find memory and focus supplements on the market. We think the best supplements for brain health are:

• Burbur (Desmodium molliculum) - this brain health supplement helps to support healthy detoxification and may offer cleansing and detox support as well as promote a body’s healthy detoxification.
• Burbur-Pinella - a blend of Desmodium molliculum leaf and Pimpinella spp. stem extracts. Burbur-Pinella is a great memory support supplement that may assist with neurological support and may help to support mental clarity.
• Krill Oil - Softgels contain omega 3 fatty acids (including EPA and DHA) to help with healthy inflammatory response support and astaxanthin to help with antioxidant support. Krill Oil may also assist with neurological support and may help to support healthy cognition and maintain mental clarity. A great supplement to help focus!

Sleep More

Another way to improve memory and concentration is to simply sleep more. Especially if you have trouble sleeping, making your sleep routine a priority means maintaining a healthy sleep schedule and preserving cognitive function and memory. Ever notice being more forgetful on days you didn’t get great sleep the night before?

Funny how life works – the older you get, the more responsibility you have often leading to lack of sleep. And when you are not sleeping enough, feeling groggy, forgetful, and unmotivated during the day is often a result.

Optimize sleep and minimize sleep disruptions with these tips:

• Make it dark or use a sleep mask – dark rooms help promote the body’s natural circadian rhythms.
• Find the right temperature – whether you are too hot or too cold, neither bode well for sleeping soundly. Find the temperature and blanket cover that works best for you and put it on repeat.
• Get cozy – great sheets, a comfortable mattress, and ideal pillow are important to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Try white noise – the hum of a fan or sound machine may be just what you need to fall asleep and stay asleep.
• Avoid screens before bed – limit screentime at least an hour before bedtime
• Manage stress and anxiety – worrying about what’s happened or may happen tomorrow can keep you up far longer than you want. Find ways to relieve stress so your mind can rest, and you can sleep.
• Make exercise a part of your routine – exercise can help promote a more restful night’s sleep.

References:

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2. Physical Activity Boosts Brain Health - https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/physical-activity-brain-health/index.html
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4. Godos J, Grosso G. Dietary Antioxidants and Brain Health: Focus on Cognitive and Affective Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Oct 22;10(11):1659. doi:10.3390/antiox10111659
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6. The USDA My Plate - https://www.myplate.gov
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