This June, we are celebrating Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month! Each week, the Memory Hub team will share quick tips and inspiration for promoting brain health and wellness at any age or stage of life. These tips will involve nutrition, social engagement, sleep, stress relief, physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and nature exposure. We will update this page with new content throughout the month.

 

Tips for brain health and wellness

at any age or stage of life

 

 

Build a healthy plate. Choose more whole grains, berries, leafy vegetables, nuts, seafood, olive oil, and fermented foods, such as plain yogurt, kimchi, miso, and kefir. Eat less highly processed food such as white bread, packaged sweets, and soda. Learn more in Food for Brain Health and Wellness from the Memory and Brain Wellness Center.

 

 

 

Take time to relax. Sit outside in nature - like on a bench in Maude’s Garden - for 20 minutes. Pay attention to your breathing and tune in to the sounds around you. Notice the wandering of your mind, and bring your attention back to the present, without judgment.

 

 

 

Get moving! In whatever way is safe for you, try and engage in a physical activity every day - like walking, dancing, or low-impact chair exercises.

 

 

 

Learn something new, together. Pursue energizing activities that widen your social circle. Sign up for an introductory art class, volunteer at a local organization, or join a walking group. Consider bringing your loved one to a social engagement program at the Memory Hub, such as the Alzheimer's Café for an afternoon of companionship, live music, and fun in a relaxed environment. Learn more about social engagement and brain health [MBWC News]

 

 

 

Build your sleep power by doing something physically active or mentally challenging every day. An active day tires you out and helps your brain build sleep pressure, or the brain's drive to sleep and stay asleep, to recover, recharge, and clear waste products. Learn more about sleep and brain health [MBWC News]