If you’re among those who are making the most out of their time by working and also doing a distance learning course, it’s natural for you to feel fatigued. Fatigue is not just physical exhaustion, but mental as well. We know that work can take up a lot of your concentration and so can your BCA, MCA or even MBA course.

However, there are plenty of ways to give your brain the boost it needs to perform better. Here are five such of them:

Sleep well

A good night’s sleep doesn’t just give your body the rest it needs, but also helps your brain assimilate the information it has picked up through the day. According to a study in the journal, Learning and Memory, you’ll be able to perform better after 6 hours of sleep rather than cramming through the whole night. You’ll notice that activities such as creativity, thinking, cognitive functioning, problem-solving etc. become weak when you’re sleep deprived.

Scientists from Saarland University in Germany also found that a nap of just 45 to 60 minutes ‘produces a five-fold improvement in information retrieval from memory’. So, take a quick power nap to retain what you’ve learned.

Picture Courtesy – 800 LifeStyle

Eat healthy

There are foods that boost your brain power and there are those foods that drain it too. Foods to stay away from include junk food and anything that has a lot of sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Food that is good for your brain include nuts like walnuts, almonds or cashews, salmon, flaxseed, chickpeas, broccoli, cauliflower, brown rice and high-fiber cereal. These foods provide your brain with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, anthocyanins and energy and they all play an important role in your brain’s functioning.

Picture Courtesy – mind-your-brain.net

Practice yoga

Yoga is a great way to stay stress-free, and it improves your memory power when coupled with meditation. When you’re very anxious and stressed out, your brain can’t absorb new information and it certainly can’t remember what’s important. Deep breathing, meditation and yoga help to calm the mind. Yoga will help you stay focused, calm, and clear.

Picture Courtesy – Caffe Yoga

Exercise

Exercise is not only for those who want to stay physically fit. It also helps in enhancing your brain’s activity. It improves the flow of oxygen to your brain and releases chemicals that protect your brain cells. It also brightens up your mood. Scientists have also proved that exercise can spark the production of more neurons in your brain. The best forms of exercise for your brain are dance and martial arts. These forms of exercise stimulate many brain systems such as organisation, coordination, planning, and even judgement.

Picture Courtesy – martialartsnearyou

Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water has several health benefits. However, did you know it is also good for your brain, considering your brain is over 80% water itself? If you’re dehydrated, it is said that your grey matter in the brain actually shrinks.

Your brain might even age prematurely if you have chronic or long-term dehydration. By drinking plenty of water through the day and staying hydrated you’ll be able to support healthy brain cells, improve your concentration, maintain your memory function, improve the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and you’ll also be able to sleep better.

Picture Courtesy – The Indian Express

Try these techniques to experience better focus, clarity, and creativity. Leave a comment to tell us what has worked for you in boosting your brain power!