Hack Your Brain: 20 Micro-Habits From Neuropsychology To Sharpen Your Mind
Did You Know Small Daily Habits Can Rewire Your Brain?
Enhancing your cognition doesn't require hours of deep studying or complex routines. Incorporating some small day-to-day habits like learning a new daily fact or hydrating in the morning is all you need to boost your brain. Become the smartest, most productive, and energetic version of yourself with these 20 microhabits grounded in neuropsychology.
1. Micro-Meditate
Incorporate small two-minute breathing exercises into your day to rest your brain. This helps lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and boosts mental clarity.
2. Wake Up With Water
Drink one or two glasses of water in the first hour of being awake in the morning. After sleep, you wake up mildly dehydrated, which inhibits cognitive function.
3. Take Frequent Breaks
Studies have found that brain performance declines after about an hour to an hour and a half of sustained work, so give your brain a break every 90 minutes or so. Taking a break to stretch or walk around will help recharge your mental energy and sharpen your focus.
4. Learn One New Fact A Day
Your brain is a muscle like aotheryher meaning you must exercise it to keep it strong. Learning just one new word, fact, or concept daily can help stimulate your memory.
5. Practice Gratitude
Naming something you're thankful for every day can increase happiness chemicals, dopamine and serotonin, boosting your mood as well as focus. It strengthens and builds new neural pathways.
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6. Get Enough Sunlight
Sunlight is not only beneficial for your mood, but your food, too. It promotes the creation of vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in brain health, memory, and attention.
7. Exercise Regularly
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, supplying it with oxygen and nutrients. It also encourages the production of new brain cells and neural pathways.
8. Read Every Day
A daily reading habit is excellent for your brain because it provides mental stimulation, strengthening connections. It also instills new knowledge and enhances memory.
9. Limit Social Media
Social media provides your brain with too much stimulus, cutting off your focus and hindering deep thought. Set yourself daily limits and hold yourself accountable to them.
10. Chew Slowly
You may not think the way you eat impacts your brain, but the gut and brain are intrinsically linked. The act of eating releases insulin, which affects cognitive function. Chewing your food slowly ensures nutrients are absorbed properly, improving memory.
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11. Avoid Multitasking
The human brain isn't designed to multitask, making it actually a much less efficient and error-prone way to work. Concentrating fully on one task increases focus, memory, and cognitive function.
12. Be Present
Being present helps you find joy in everyday activities, lowering your stress and freeing up mental space for deeper, clearer thinking. It also allows for greater emotional regulation, freeing your mind from rumination and ensuring that you spend your mental energy on more productive thinking.
13. Take Brain-Supporting Supplements
Certain nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and creatine have been shown to improve cognition, memory, and attention. Try incorporating a brain supplement to enhance your focus.
14. Think Flexibly
Being flexible to new situations enables the brain to become more adaptable. This makes for quicker responses, better learning, and enhanced creativity.
15. Socialize
Humans are inherently social creatures, so connecting with others is important for our well-being. It also enhances brain health by providing cognitive stimulation, strengthening neural connections.
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16. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Sleep helps detoxify brain waste, consolidate memories, and enhances concentration. Sleep is when we process the day's information, so practicing good sleep hygiene like avoiding screens before bed and creating a comfortable sleep environment, is crucial for brain health.
17. Do A 60 Second Cold Exposure
Doing 60 Second Cold exposures, such as putting your face in cold water, activates a hormone that increases alertness and attention. It also reduces stress, improves mood, and emotional resilience.
18. Stand Up Every 30 Minutes
Set alerts on your phone to remind yourself to stand up every 30 minutes to increase blood flow to your brain. This gives you brain cells oxygen and nutrients and makes you feel more alert.
19. Do A Visual Sweep
Even if you think you know every corner of the room, practice a 20-second visual sweep every day. Scan your surroundings and notice five new details to sharpen your observational skills.
20. Switch Hands For Small Tasks
Experiment with switching to using your non-dominant hand for small tasks like brushing your teeth or making coffee. This enhances brain plasticity, forming new neural connections.
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