How to Improve Your Cognitive Function

The ability to improve cognitive function has been a hot topic for a while now. Not so long ago, there was a strong current of professionals claiming that you couldn’t really do much in this regard, at least not with any simple techniques. The modern understanding of cognitive function says otherwise. 

Today we’ll talk about several ways you can improve your cognitive function in a safe and fun way. We’ll also discuss what impacts cognitive function and how malleable it actually is. 

It might come across as one of the most washed-out adages, but the whole healthy mind in a healthy body thing is actually rooted in factual data. In fact, there are actual physiological changes in the brains of people who exercise regularly and those who don’t. 

A massive part of our cognitive abilities, mainly the ability to learn new data or skills, comes from our hippocampus. As it turns out, regular exercise increases the size of the hippocampus, thus directly affecting our ability to learn. 

As a side note, working out also helps you produce endorphins, which are the natural stress relievers. Despite this massive body of data, exercise is still one of the most overlooked means of improving one’s cognitive abilities. 

Nutrition, alongside exercise, is one of the most important factors when it comes to cognition. You are what you eat - there’s another worn-out saying, but again, one that bears the truth. Ensuring that you’re consuming a diverse diet every day will give your brain all of the nutrients it requires to operate at max potential. 

Vitamins play a massive role in nutrition. Your brain requires core vitamins to work, it’s that simple. The benefits of vitamin B12, one of the key vitamins for brain function, are well known. This vitamin directly stimulates the ability to focus. Without it, you’re looking at diminished brain function as well as other potential issues. 

A diverse diet isn’t always an option for everyone. Whether it’s the matter of geography or something else, you might find yourself unable to get all the nutrients through food. That’s where supplementation comes in. 

Taking supplements is perfectly healthy as long as you’re sticking to prescribed doses for max daily values. One of the supplements that are popular is vitamin D. Vitamin D is much more than just a vitamin, too. It’s a hormone that controls a significant portion of your DNA. Not only that, but it directly affects your cognition as well. 

As it turns out, most people are vitamin D deficient as gaining it naturally means going out in the sunlight. Considering the fast-paced life we’re pushed into, spending enough time outside is not an option for many. Such cases can definitely benefit from supplementation. 

There’s a growing belief among medical professionals that our brains are like muscles - it will stay fit if you work it out regularly. What does a brain workout look like, though? 

The answer to this question generally depends on the person, but the whole idea is to keep the mind engaged in some way. Solving puzzles is more or less the baseline activity that is thought to exercise the brain. However, not everyone is into puzzles. 

Reading a book that has an intricate web of storylines and characters can keep the brain engaged. 

Stress is the illness of a modern man. We live lives that are currently riddled with various stressors. Dealing with stress is one way to reduce the pressure on your brain allow it to relocate resources elsewhere. 

Of course, this is much easier said than done. Stress management is a topic of its own, with a variety of underlying issues that need to be taken into account. However, we’ve already mentioned one way you can reduce stress - exercising. 

This brings us a full circle back to the beginning of this short guide. Working out is by far one of the most proven ways of dealing with stress and curbing depression. 

That being said, you can help things along even further by removing yourself from stressful situations and removing known stressors from your life. What all of that exactly means depends on you as an individual. 

Working to improve cognition is a great way of staying mentally fit. Not only is doing so possible, but it’s recommended. We’ve discussed some of the most common ways and methods of improving cognitive function, but there’s a whole lot more that didn’t fit. 

This subject is rather extensive, with new research popping up every day. Since the human brain is one of the world’s most interesting mysteries, there’s no telling what kind of revelations are waiting around the corner. 

Working on cognitive fitness by yourself is a good habit to have. As you’ve noticed, most of these methods require very little effort to incorporate into your daily life. As such, they are something you should consider adding to your routine.