38 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • MARCH 21, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
Be better to your brain!
From diet and exercise to making time
for self-care and relaxation, you might be
taking steps to make your health a priority.
But when it comes to overall wellness,
don’t forget about your brain!
Simple lifestyle choices can have a profound
impact on brain health. Consider
these expert tips to help brain better - at
any age.
Exercise: Physical activity is as important
for the brain as it is for the body. It
changes the brain in ways that protect
memory and thinking skills, while also
improving mood and reducing stress.
So, what are you waiting for? Whether
it’s walking, dancing, yoga or even mopping
the kitchen fl oor, fi nd an activity
that works for you. It’s most important
that you get your heart rate up and break
a slight sweat.
Get your ZZZs: While you sleep, your
brain is hard at work restoring information
and memories and preparing you
for another day. Sleep deprivation has
been found to disrupt the brain cells’
ability to communicate with each other,
leading to mental lapses and perception
and memory problems. To ensure you
get a good night’s sleep, stick with a routine
and be sure to limit exercise, caffeine,
alcohol and screen time close to
bedtime.
Eat right: Emerging evidence suggests
an association between dietary habits
and cognitive performance. Research
shows that a Mediterranean-style diet
rich in fi sh, whole grains, green leafy
vegetables, olives and nuts helps maintain
brain health. Additionally, cutting
back on foods high in saturated fats,
such as red meat and butter, may help
ward off a variety of degenerative diseases
aff ecting your heart and your brain.
Look for science-backed supplements:
When choosing a dietary supplement,
be sure to look for those with researchbacked
ingredients and demonstrated
cognitive benefi ts. Certain supplements,
such as fi sh oil rich in DHA, phosphatidylserine
(PS), coff ee cherry extract,
B vitamins and folic acid, have shown
potential brain health benefi ts. Neuriva
is a new brand of brain health supplements
using clinically proven natural
ingredients to help fuel fi ve indicators
of brain performance: focus, memory,
learning, concentration and accuracy.
It will be available as of April 2019
in stores nationwide but you can pre-order
on Neuriva.com or Walgreens.com.
Th e supplement itself is part of a holistic
eco-system, which includes assessments,
exercises and educational materials, tailored
to help your brain fi tness.
Try new things: De-stress with activities
you fi nd enjoyable and fi nd support
in your loved ones and social network,
but don’t get stuck in a rut. Becoming a
life-long learner will enhance intellectual
stimulation and help keep you - and
your brain - healthier and happier. Th e
most important thing to know is that no
matter how old we are we can take simple,
and even fun, steps to improve our brain
performance.
Courtesy BPT
Get in touch with your senses for a better night’s sleep
In a world where everyone is constantly
on-the-go, getting a good night’s sleep
can be a daunting challenge. If you’re
having trouble sleeping, remedy the situation
by using your own senses right in
your bedroom! Here are three easy and
eff ective tips for using your senses to help
contribute to a better night’s sleep and, in
turn, bolster your overall well-being:
Scent sense: Sprinkle a few drops of
lavender oil on your pillow. Lavender
is associated with lower blood pressure,
heart rate and skin temperature - all
relaxing ingredients for a good night’s
sleep. And, as an extra perk, lavender has
been shown to reduce anxiety, making it
a great essential oil to put on your pillow
for those nights when concerns of the day
are keeping you awake.
Touchy feely: Make sure that you have
cozy, quality bedding, which will permeate
your sense of touch throughout the
night. In a U.S.-based survey conducted
by the American Down and Feather
Council (ADFC), 70 percent of consumers
surveyed who use down and feather
products agreed they get a better night’s
sleep with down and feather bedding.
Furthermore, 55 percent agreed there are
health benefi ts to sleeping with down and
feather products, because they:
• Regulate your body temperature -
Down and feather is a natural material
that wicks away moisture and perspiration,
allowing it to quickly evaporate
rather than trapping it.
• Provide proper support - Down and
feather pillows conform to the body
more naturally than many synthetic
fi bers or foam pillows.
• Off er the sleep-inducing benefi ts of
warmth without weight - Down is
nature’s best insulator!
Soothing sounds: Try using a white noise
machine to mask background sounds,
thereby creating a more serene environment.
When used to promote healthy sleep,
white noise helps to drown out sounds that
might otherwise prevent you from falling
asleep or wake you up while asleep.
So, if you’re having trouble sleeping,
try listening to your senses to help contribute
to a better night’s sleep - and see
what a diff erence the quality of your bedding
can make!
Courtesy BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM
/Neuriva.com
/Walgreens.com
