FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR FOCUS
1: Drink More Fluids
Even mild dehydration can cause you to lose concentration. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink.
2: Exercise
Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and heart disease. Exercise also enhances helpful brain chemicals and reduces stress hormones.
3: Eat a brain-boosting diet
Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, “healthy” fats and lean protein provide lots of health benefits including improving memory. (See the next issue of the Knightly News for a list of brain boosting foods.)
4: Keep stress in check
Stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Over time, chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.
5: Get your Zs
Are you getting enough sleep to function at your best? There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to be at your best. The truth is that over 95% of adults need between 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Even skimping on a few hours makes a difference in your memory, creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Research shows that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, with the key memory-enhancing activity occurring during the deepest stages of sleep.
