38 Ways To Improve Your Brain

Some of these tips are evidence-based and some are anecdotal. Your mileage will vary.

1. Blueberries (Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory In Older Adults [2015])
2. Learn how to solve a rubik’s cube
3. Regular, vigorous exercise (ref)
4. Raw cacao nibs (cacao increases cerebral blood flow)
5. Socializing will keep you sharp (ref)
6. Brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand (anecdotal)
7. Sun/light exposure (wear sunscreen) or supplement your diet with vitamin D (vitamin D is a potent neurosteroid in the brain)
8. Eat seaweed (high in iodine; iodine is needed to synthesize thyroid hormone which promotes neural stem cell proliferation)
9. Antioxidant-rich green tea (ref)
10. Avoid these neurotoxins
11. Sexual activity (exercise rescues impaired neurogenesis)
12. Learn how to code (CodeAcademy is a good place to start)
13. Practice good sleep hygiene (50 tips to improve sleep quality)
14. Avoid anticholinergic drugs and benzodiazepines
15. Address untreated mental health issues (e.g., depression)
16. Eat alpha-linolenic acid-rich flax seeds (Alpha-Linolenic Acid-Induced Increase in Neurogenesis…)
17. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
18. Supplement your diet with CDP-Choline
19. Melatonin as needed at night (melatonin is a neuroprotective antioxidant)
20. Learn a new language
21. Seek out novel situations and new life experiences (e.g., travel to Thailand)
22. Lift weights to increase muscle mass
23. Read one book a week (or pick up a book and start reading again if you’re out of practice)
24. Spend time in nature
25. Supplement your diet with curcumin (The effect of curcumin (turmeric) on Alzheimer’s disease: An overview)
26. Take probiotics (and learn about the brain-gut axis)!
27. Download the Flux App to minimize circadian disruption from your computer screen
28. Supplement your diet with polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids
29. Explore new ways to relieve stress in the evening (e.g., without alcohol or television)
30. Trial nootropics
31. Intermittent fasting
32. Reduce sugar intake to improve insulin resistance (Alzheimer’s and type 3 diabetes)
33. Coconut-oil derived medium chain triglycerides (MCT may improve brain function)
34. Quit smoking
35. Learn how to a play a musical instrument
36. Supplement with a B multivitamin to lower homocysteine (Homocysteine and Alzheimer’s Disease [2003])
37. Naps (ref)
38. Video games