Cognitive function refers to how the brain gathers and processes information using higher-order mental processes. These include problem-solving, decision making, perception, language, memory, and attention. These cognitive functions often work together to help you in gathering and processing information.
However, as times pass by, many factors may decrease your cognitive function. Don’t fret because you can lessen your chance of mental decline through the following tips:
1. Use Cognitive Enhancers
If need be, you may want to improve your cognitive function by using cognitive enhancers. These are substances of various types, including pharmacological substances and prescription medications. By using cognitive enhancers, like 9-Me-BC, you can improve your decision-making and reasoning skills.
These enhancers work by optimizing, diminishing, or augmenting your cognitive function; thus, increasing how your cognitive function works. As for diminishing concept, these enhancers can reduce the effect of what your cognitive function does. For instance, it can help you focus on a specific task because it diminishes the content of your thoughts.
Overall, cognitive enhancers may help you adapt and become flexible to your environment by keeping your cognitive functions at an optimum level.
2. Adopt A Growth Mindset
With a growth mindset, you make yourself believe that you can enhance your abilities or achieve success through persistence, practice, and continuous learning. As a result, you can become more open to new and challenging activities. For instance, you may involve yourself in taking mentally challenging and unfamiliar activities, or learn a new skill that may be outside of your comfort zone.
You can learn more by doing these things because your cognitive function is becoming challenged by new activities. But, never settle with a mindset only. Instead, practice it by taking a new hobby or doing a project that involves new skills.
3. Get Quality Sleep
Aside from getting involved in various activities, you also need to rest your brain. Do so by getting enough quality sleep so your brain can consolidate memory and learning.
When you sleep, your brain can process and control new information. With uninterrupted sleep, your brain also avoids negative aspects of thinking because it can recuperate well.
On the other hand, disrupted or shortened sleep can lead to poorer processing speed and attention, as well as short-term memory. That’s why if you regularly get quality sleep, you can have a better cognitive performance.
4. Have A Healthy Diet
Aside from a night of quality sleep, make your diet nutritious and balanced as well. Your diet should focus on consuming the right nutrients, including vitamin E, amino acids, and antioxidants.
You might want to drink wine in moderation as it may help improve your cognitive function. Avocados, whole grains, blueberries, and nuts are also beneficial for your brain health.
What you should avoid is too much sugar intake as it’s linked to cognitive decline. Especially for short-term memory, a sugary diet can make it poor, aside from causing other health issues.
Conclusion
The mentioned tips are the most common ways to make your cognitive function better. Some of them even help your overall health, such as eating healthy and getting enough sleep. Moreover, having a growth mindset will make you try out new activities to exercise your brain, or you may also want to use prescribed enhancers. Try out these tips and incorporate them into your daily routine to keep your cognitive function in its prime condition.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
