It can be easy to get bogged down in brain-health directives. Recently, I’ve been targeted with next-gen nootropic dietary supplements that promise cognitive enhancement and vibrating, vagal-nerve-calming wearables. I’ve received invitations to a “brain rave” (an event blending music and movement with a discussion around how both modalities benefit brain health) and to an aesthetics studio launching transcranial stimulation. But some of the most important things you can do to boost your brain power are very simple.
1. Protect your head
Basic as it sounds, take measures to avoid bashing your head. Bike helmets may seem like a faff, but just buckle up, says Dr Sabine Donnai, a physician and founder of Viavi, a health clinic that offers brain mapping and cognitive tests. “Closed head injuries can have an impact on the blood-brain barrier,” she says, referring to the protective layer of cells that prevents harmful substances from entering the brain. “Once it is compromised, toxins, drugs and viruses have free entry to our brain and very often result in ‘brain fog’ or longer-term cognitive decline.” And helmets are becoming more portable. Ventete has created the world’s first inflatable bike helmet, and UK brand Newlane makes a foldable helmet that meets European safety standards and folds to half its size to slip into a bag.
