Healthy Body - Healthy Mind
Healthy Body, Healthy Brain
Holly Browne, Dr. Rosemary Keane, Dr. Michael Keane
The majority of people know more about the latest iPhone and other handheld smart devices than the incredible command centre far superior to any computer installed inside their own head - the brain! Because our brain affects who we are and what we do in the world, from mood and social relationships to functionality and peak performance, it makes sense to educate ourselves on how best to look after it - especially since it doesn't come with a user guide!
"One of the best ways to take care of your brain is to take care of your body"
One way to take care of our brain is to take care of our body. We all know how beneficial physical exercise is for the body but it's also a vital component for improving brain health. This is because physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain, neuronal growth and brain volume, and stimulates the production of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF is a protein essential to the repair and protection of brain cells, and therefore essential to safeguarding this incredible organ from deterioration.
"Squeezing in just ten minutes of cardiovascular exercise during the day is sufficient to boost mental acuity significantly"
While aerobic exercise for thirty minutes to an hour, three days a week is thought to be the optimum aim for improving brain health, research has shown that squeezing in just ten minutes of cardiovascular exercise during the day is sufficient to boost mental acuity significantly. That's just a brisk walk around the block, or a few sets of star jumps in the office!
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Keeping your brain well at work
Speaking of offices, from laptops to iPads, the technological devices we interact with on a daily basis have come to inform our posture so much so that there has been an alarming surge in the rate of young/middle-aged people being treated by physiotherapists for kyphosis a.k.a. dowager’s hump. This modern phenomenon is being referred to as ‘tech-neck’ or ‘iHunch’, and apart from the negative impact this posture has on physicality, the iHunch has sinister implications for brain health too. Sitting for long periods of time with the head and neck slumped forward, and hunched shoulders (a posture associated with people who are clinically depressed), actually has the power to transform our emotional state. If left unchecked, this culturally conditioned posture can affect our energy levels, contribute to low mood, stress and fatigue which in turn can impact our functionality, memory recall and performance at work. Remember, the best position is the next position, so check your posture and reposition.
"Remember, the best position is the next position - check your posture, and reposition yourself"
There are also some physical poses we can practice to compliment the mental preparations we are making for a challenging task at work, whether it's an upcoming interview, a board meeting or a presentation. Become your own hero and rescue yourself from nerves or stress by posing like Superman or Superwoman for just two minutes prior to performance. Assuming such expansive “power poses” results in a change to the body's neuroendocrine levels, testosterone levels rise leading us to feel more confident and assertive, and cortisol levels decrease leaving us less stressed or anxious.
Within the sphere of mental health, anxiety, along with depression, is one of the most commonly reported experiences both by men and women. Most people will experience some form of mental illness throughout their lifetime whether it be circumstantial relating to e.g. work pressures as previously discussed, or perhaps it might occur on an ongoing basis which could seriously interfere with daily functioning.
Happy food happy mood? Yes!
Another way to protect brain health and help us live well is to eat well. Similarly to physical exercise, we know that eating well is better for the body but it's also better for the brain. This is because the food we eat contributes to the alteration of neural processes, some of which are central to mood regulation. One of the easiest ways to do this is to drink more water. A 2% drop in hydration is enough to have a significant impact on your cognitive performance.
Inside the gut, food is broken down of course for the purpose of producing energy to fuel the body but also to aid the production of hormones and neurotransmitters which strongly influence our mood and behaviour. Foods containing tryptophan (an amino acid and precursor to serotonin) such as oats, almonds, eggs, red meat, poultry and dairy increase serotonin levels in the brain which contributes to our sense of happiness and well-being. For this reason the gut’s nervous system has been dubbed “the second brain”.
"The gut's nervous system has been dubbed "the second brain" - feed it plenty of oats, almonds, eggs, foods that help us create serotonin, the happy chemical!"
Some simple tips to keep your body and brain healthy at work:
- Squeeze in some aerobic exercise every day. Even 10 minutes of cardiovascular exercise during the day - a brisk walk around the office or a few star jumps in the hallway - is sufficient to boost mental acuity significantly
- Remember, the best position is the next position - check your posture, and reposition yourself. This can have a significant impact on mood.
- Eat foods that help your body create serotonin, the happy chemical. Foods such as oats, almonds, eggs and dairy contain tryptophan, a natural precursor to serotonin.
Move more: Just because you're stuck on the phone with work calls doesn't mean you need to be stuck on the chair - walk and talk!
Elevate your heart rate by ditching the elevator and taking the stairs.
Chin up! Raise your techno devices to eye level so you aren't forced to gaze downwards all the time e.g., prop your laptop up higher on your desk using a tray table.
Happy food, happy mood: Be mindful of the food you consume. Every time you eat is an opportunity to be kind to yourself by nourishing the body and the brain with happy foods. Challenge yourself to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Water, water, everywhere! Make it easier to stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle close by e.g., one on your nightstand, one on your desk. You could even combine tips by taking trips to the office water cooler to refill when you need to.
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References
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