The study disclosed that the brain can stay sharp and continue to improve even in the 90s with the help of simple habits in daily life. A lot of people think that with age, the brain loses its memory and also functionality. But studies have challenged this myth and declared that the brain can improve at any age. The measurement used in this study was the brain health index. This measures the various features of the brain, like emotional balance and clarity of thinking. Researchers also discovered that people with lower brain health scores can also see improvement. This means that the brain is flexible and malleable; it can modify itself. 

All the results indicate that the improvement is not related to age or gender. Outside the range of early findings, diet plays a vital role in the improvement of mental well-being. The study also identifies that simple daily routine habits are helpful to maintain a healthy brain. Those habits include stress management, socializing, good sleep, mental simulation and exercising. 

Effective Ways To Improve Brain Health And Memory

Keep Your Brain Active

The brain loves to deal with challenges. When you stop using it, your concentration and memory slowly decline. That’s the reason brain activities are important at every age. The easy mind exercises that help  you to improve your memory are:-

• Reading newspapers, articles  or books
• Solving puzzles or crosswords
• Play memory-based games 
• Every day, learn something new 

These activities are very helpful in making the connection between brain cells. With its help, it’s easier to focus and concentrate on certain things.

Eat The Right Food 

Whatever you eat has an impact on the functioning of the brain. A balanced diet is helpful for the concentration of the brain, mental clarity and memory. Foods to add to the daily diet are fish, seeds, nuts, green vegetables, whole grains and fruits. These foods are a good source to improve blood circulation in the brain. Avoid eating sugary food items like juices and snacks, fried food and excess salted and processed food. 

Sleep  Well

Many people do not sleep properly in their daily routine, but sleep is very important to improve memory. When sleeping properly, the brain clears the waste toxins, stores new information, and refreshes and maintains the brain cells. Lack of sleep is responsible for poor concentration and slow thinking. Healthy  sleep habits  include:-

• Sleeping cycle of 7 to 9 hours every night
• Avoid using mobile screens before going to bed 
• Keep fixed wakeup and sleeping time 
• Create a peaceful sleeping environment

Stay Physically Active

Physical activities are not only important for adding strength to the muscles, but they are also equally important for the brain. Regular movement in the body during physical activity improves the blood circulation to the brain and supports the memory centre. The recommended physical activities for the brain are:- 

• Stretching
• Yoga
• Brisk walking
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Light gym workouts

Physical activities reduce the stress hormone responsible for loss of memory. Even a walk of 30 minutes on a regular basis can improve mood and memory.

Stay Connected Socially And Reduce Stress

Stress is the biggest enemy of brain health. Stress for a long time can shrink the memory-related area in the brain. The simplest and easiest   ways  to manage stress are:-

• Meditation
• Deep breathing exercise 
• Listening music 
• Spend time in nature

Social interaction is also important, along with stress control.

Conclusion 

We can protect thinking ability and memory by following simple brain exercises such as managing stress, eating healthy and staying active. Extreme changes are not required to protect the brain or take care of it. At Dr. Jhawar Neuro Hospital, under the guidance of Dr. Sukhdeep Singh Jhawar, the patients get personalized care plans according to their needs and support brain health and memory. 

FAQ’S

• What foods are recommended to eat for better brain health?

The best recommended foods for brain health include omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains and antioxidants. Along with that, you can have fish, flaxseeds, walnuts and green leafy vegetables that provide all the nutrients to the brain. 

• Which habits should we avoid that affect our brain health?

Habits such as overloading your brain by indulging in multiple tasks along with avoiding proper sleep should be avoided for your brain health. 

Awake Brain Surgery is a procedure where patients stay awake while the surgery is being performed. When people hear about brain surgery, what comes to their mind is anaesthesia for deep sleep during surgery. The thought of being awake while having brain surgery might look scary, but it’s a good idea because it protects the patient from negative results that may happen when unconscious, such as memory loss, not waking up, and also moving and speaking. It helps surgeons in removing tumours from delicate areas that need much attention, which may affect speaking, hearing, moving, and remembering. This blog helps understand what awake brain surgery is and what its benefits are.

What Is Awake Brain Surgery?

​Awake Brain Surgery is also called craniotomy. It is a procedure whereby a patient stays awake during the brain surgery, especially on delicate parts. Before the surgery begins, the specialist doctors make use of numbing medicine that allows a patient to be comfortable and not feel any pain during the surgery. Having awake brain surgery allows the surgeon to work comfortably with the patient, knowing that the patient can respond to simple tasks that direct the surgeon if he’s doing the correct thing. The patient will be monitored, kept calm, and comfortable throughout the whole process.

​Why Do Surgeons Keep Patients Awake During Awake Brain Surgery?

​Surgeons keep their patients awake during awake brain surgery to monitor and communicate with them during surgery. The brain holds all the body’s functions, so they keep their patients awake to monitor their speaking, movements, and their responses so that they can avoid areas that may cause harm to the patient. Patients are also kept awake to allow the surgeon to safely and precisely remove the tumour.

​What Are The Benefits Of Doing Awake Brain Surgery?

• Maximising the removal of the tumour: When the patient is awake, it makes it easy for the surgeon to remove much of the tumour, monitoring the patient’s movements and responses to avoid any mistakes that may affect the patient’s response system.

• Awake brain surgery helps in the protection of vital functions: Through awake brain surgery, patients have lower chances of losing their ability to speak or move because the surgeon will be monitoring their movements to avoid delicate positions.

• It allows for faster recovery: Patients who undergo brain surgery tend to recover more quickly due to its naturalness; other than unconscious surgery, in which the use of too many sedatives may lead to slower recovery.

• Awake surgery allows for accuracy: Due to the monitoring of the patient at every step of the surgery, the patient’s response helps in the accuracy of the tumour removal.

• It reduces the risks that come with anaesthesia: Patients avoid traditional anaesthesia because of the aftermath it brings, such as nausea.

• It helps in stabilising the nervous system: When a patient is awake, it makes it easier for the surgeon to monitor their blood pressure and their heart rate, which reduces the complications.

• It helps in patient control: When a patient is awake, it helps in reducing anxiety because they feel that they are being involved, which improves stability.

• Awake brain surgeries allow lesser hospital stays: It shortens hospital stays because faster recovery means less hospital stay.

Conclusion

Awake brain surgery brings a great improvement in neurological treatment. Instead of only focusing on performing the surgery for tumour removal, now the doctors also consider the patient’s life after surgery. Considering an experienced team, book your appointment with Dr Sukhdeep Jhawar at Jhawar Neuro Hospital. Dr Sukhdeep Jhawar’s team and patients’ participation make this method a safer way forward for individuals with tumours in delicate areas that need much attention. Get in touch with Neuromaster for you, not just for recovery, but for a chance to continue living your normal life without any complications that come after surgery, like losing the ability to move.

​FAQs

​Q: Is it not dangerous to stay awake during brain surgery?

1. Staying awake during brain surgery is not dangerous because there will be a very skilled anaesthesia team for safety and comfort.

​Q: What makes a decision to have awake brain surgery?

1. If a patient has a tumour in a delicate place that requires much attention to prevent complications later, that’s when they decide that the patient should undergo awake brain surgery.