It's that time of year again! As the school year draws to a close, you may be feeling tired of school and homework. Don't give up! You're in the final stretch! Here are some tips on how to keep your brain working for the last month or so of school. Whether you have exams and book reports to write, or presentations and projects to complete, these ideas will help keep your brain in gear when you need it most.
Brain-Boosting Tips
Brain Food
Eat right! There are loads of delicious foods you can eat to help keep your brain working at its optimum level. Oily fish like salmon and mackerel provide omega-3 fatty acids. Pumpkin seeds and soy beans can also give you these brain-powering acids. Blueberries, tomatoes, and whole grains may also help you think more clearly!
Eating blueberries can help you power up your brain!Courtesy of Ontario Fresh
Brain Games
Check out your app store for games you can play to exercise and stimulate your brain. These games can test and improve your memory, and can up your brain's ability to retain and process information. You can even find board games and toys to feed your brain's need to play! You don't need to play all the time; just a few minutes a day of brain games can help.
Playing brain games can keep you sharp! Courtesy of National Geographic
Exercise
You know that regular exercise is important for your body's health, but have you thought about how exercise might affect your brain? When you increase your heart rate with exercise, more oxygen is pumped into your brain, which can lead to brain cell growth. Even when you only work out for 20 minutes or so, physical activity can have an amazingly positive effect on your brain function!
There's nothing like exercise to stimulate your brain!Courtesy of Sunshine and Ski
Reduce Stress
It's hard to imagine not being stressed and anxious as the school year draws to a close, what with assessment being done and report cards coming out. Research has shown, though, that stress can kill brain neurons and prevent new ones from growing. When we are stressed, we tend to engage in negative self-talk, telling ourselves that we can't do things well or that we won't get a good grade. If you find yourself doing this, the best thing you can do is to replace those thoughts with positive ones. When you tell yourself you can do something and visualize a positive outcome, you will not only increase your self-esteem, but also your brain's neuron growth!
School stressing you out? That can be hard on the brain!Courtesy of Brain Repost
It can be challenging and sometimes even frightening (exciting too, of course) to come to the end of a school year, but if you take care of your body and your brain you might find that getting through the last month of school can be a calm and easy experience.
Have Your Say!
What helps you concentrate and stay focused? Share your tips with us!
