Revitalize Your Mind: Unlocking Brain Health through Easy Everyday Habits

According to Helen Lavretsky, MD, a geriatric integrative psychiatrist at UCLA Health, stress and anxiety levels have surged to three times what they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s the unfortunate news. The fortunate aspect is that we can enhance our resilience to these emotional reactions and, consequently, improve our brain health through straightforward, daily habits.

“The choices we make in our lifestyle – including sleep patterns, nutrition, physical activity, exposure to substances like drugs and alcohol – all contribute to this response that reconstructs our body and influences how we handle chronic stress,” Dr. Lavretsky elaborated at “An Integrated U: Integrative Medicine Across the Lifespan,” a conference hosted by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Our response to stress is influenced by experiences with trauma, developmental history, exposure to harmful substances, as well as genetics, she mentioned. Lifestyle choices also play a significant role. Engaging in practices like consistently consuming nutritious foods, effectively managing stress, maintaining social connections, obtaining seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and participating in both physical and mental exercises – all of these foster brain health, enabling us to flourish cognitively, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

• Research indicates that achieving at least seven to nine hours of sleep nightly “eliminates all the unnecessary toxic waste accumulated from the previous day” and enhances emotional regulation and cognitive function, Dr. Lavretsky stated.
• Exercise supports cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health and is associated with improved cognitive functioning and mood stabilization.
• A nutritious eating pattern, such as the plant-based Mediterranean diet, significantly influences cognitive and emotional well-being, including conditions like depression and anxiety, according to Dr. Lavretsky.
• Reducing stress and enhancing social support have been demonstrated to boost brain function.
• Engaging in meaningful activities that contribute to a sense of purpose, such as volunteering, also promotes longevity and enhances brain health.
• Entertaining and enjoyable activities lead to positive emotional experiences.

If we each adopted these lifestyle practices, “it would profoundly impact cognitive resilience on a population scale, diminish dementia prevalence, and lower healthcare expenses,” Dr. Lavretsky emphasized.

In addition to its effects on the brain, chronic stress causes inflammation in the body, potentially leading to high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Lifestyle medicine can also provide assistance in this area, she added.

Supported by Research

Dr. Lavretsky’s investigations at UCLA Health validate the cognitive-enhancing and stress-alleviating benefits of lifestyle practices like mindfulness, yoga, and tai chi.

Dr. Lavretsky conducted a study that revealed mindfulness and yoga enhance gray matter and both functional and structural connectivity in the brain.

Another study compared yoga with memory training among women aged 50 and older who had cardiovascular risk factors. It discovered that yoga was more effective than memory training in preventing gray-matter volume decline and even increased gray-matter volume in several brain regions.

A third study showed that tai chi practice alleviated depression, reduced emotional reactivity, and enhanced resilience in individuals aged 60 and older dealing with depression.

Mind-body practices such as these “can alter the biological response to stress and produce outcomes that are more resilient, both mentally and physically,” Dr. Lavretsky stated.

Essentially, anyone can boost their brain health by embracing healthier habits, she asserted: “Promoting brain health throughout the lifespan is crucial for both treatment and prevention.”