Category: Neurofeedback

This is the place for all of our neurofeedback blog posts.

  • Brain Health During Stressful Times

    brain health during stressful times

    How Do You Care For Your Brain During Stressful Times?

    Times are stressful. When the pandemic hit, many people started to look at the health of their lungs, heart, and immune system. The reality is that there is no better time to look at and improve your health than right now! However, most people have failed to think of their brain health during this time.

    How does a pandemic affect our brains? How can we protect our minds against damage? What are some things we can do to protect our mental and cognitive health?

    It has been known for a long time that one’s mental health suffers in times of high stress. Mental health issues are no surprise since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a spike in anxiety and depression. Over 34% of Americans are now experiencing these symptoms, according to a survey from May 2020! There is already an epidemic of mental illness globally, and now the pandemic is causing it to spike even more.

    We also know that when we are under stress, our thinking can be compromised. When we have high-stress levels over long periods, it can damage our brains and cause us to make bad choices.

    But do not fret! The good news is that we can improve our brain health! If we take a few easy steps to improve our brain health, we may lower our risk of damage and reduce our chances of developing long-term health issues.

    Why Have a Healthy Brain?

    We ultimately want a healthy and resilient brain. Resiliency allows us to handle a variety of different stresses and challenges and still be strong. This helps us to make good choices under pressure and fight off symptoms of anxiety and depression. Food is one of the best ways to build a brain that can do this. 

    To create a healthy and resilient brain, we have to look at ways to increase our defenses against environmental challenges. Our brains are mostly made up of fats. Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential part of your brain because they may help fight oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is increased when we are under a lot of psychological strain like we are during the pandemic. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in foods such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, and anchovies. You can also use a high-quality supplement like this one.

    Another great option is polyphenols. These are natural chemicals made by plants. Polyphenols are thought to help protect our brain against toxins. Foods that are high in polyphenols include berries, grapes, green tea, and dark chocolate. You can also supplement to make sure you are getting enough.

    The last thing that makes a big difference is to reduce or eliminate processed foods. Anything with added sugars or refined carbohydrates degrades our brain. 

    Neurofeedback For Brain Health

    Neurofeedback addresses problems with brain dysregulation, which happen to be numerous. If you think about it, the brain and central nervous system work together to control and coordinate EVERYTHING in our bodies. Neurofeedback works by balancing the brain into a more appropriate brain wave pattern.

    As previously mentioned, during and after a pandemic, it is shown that levels of depression and anxiety skyrocket. These are unhealthy brainwave patterns. Luckily, neurofeedback helps balance unhealthy brainwave patterns into healthy habits, reducing or eliminating feelings of depression and anxiety. This is a great drug-free option for those who are suffering. Neurofeedback helps reduce stress in the brain and gives you a better sense of calm and focus.

    If you or a loved one suffers from too much stress, anxiety, or depressionschedule a FREE consultation to see if neurofeedback could help!

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

    Stress Reduction

    A little stress is good, but high and chronic levels damage our health- physically and mentally. De-stressing is easier said than done, but here are a few things you can do to protect your body and brain against stress. These are great anytime, but especially during a pandemic. 

    First, take a look at your schedule and how you are spending your time. Cut out as many unnecessary times of stress as possible. Think about the activities you give your time to and how they make you feel. For many people, much of the psychological stress they experience comes from watching the news. While it is great to be informed, ask yourself if it is worth the stress your body goes through and the fear generated? Unfortunately, a lot of what is aired on television has been designed to create fear and anxiety in our brains. This fear causes a stress response within us, overflowing our bodies with cortisol and other chemicals that degrade our brain health. If you don’t feel like you can eliminate this, try to reduce your time watching the news or setting a time limit. 

    Another great tactic is to use ways that help decrease stress. Reducing stress might be different for each person, but some great things to try are meditation, mindfulness, or walking in nature. Moderate exercise also works well for some people. The best way to start is to pick a method and try it for a few days and pay attention to how you feel. Then, try another approach and compare and pay attention to how you feel. Try taking some deep breaths throughout the day.

    Necessary Maintenance For A Healthy Brain

    Our brains do a lot of work and, therefore, require a lot of energy. Because of all the work that the brain does, it has a lot of metabolic waste. It is essential to clear this waste out of the body, and there are a couple of good ways to do this, besides doing an actual detox.

    Exercise

    The first way to help the brain get rid of metabolic waste is to exercise. Everyone knows that exercise is good for general body health, but it is helpful for brain health. Blood flow and oxygen are increased in parts of the brain during intense physical activity. One area that appears to benefit is the prefrontal cortex. This brain area is critical to good decision-making and plays a central role in mental health.

    BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, has been shown to increase during exercise. BDNF is a protein that helps the brain learn and adapt to different environments. As a goal, try to get a 30-minute workout of moderate intensity each day.

    Sleep

    Many people struggle with getting the right amount of sleep or high-quality sleep. This is very important for brain health. Poor sleep has been linked to many health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and poor immune function. Poor sleep also puts you at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease as well as mental health issues.

    Getting the right amount of high-quality sleep is one of the easiest ways to improve your wellbeing. Rest is a time for your brain to detox and reset, help you make better decisions, improve mental health, and provide psychological strength to help with the stressors in life. It is not always easy to get good, high-quality sleep, but here are some tips to help you:

    • Eliminate caffeine after 12 pm
    • Reduce blue light exposure (especially screens) one hour before going to bed
    • Take a hot bath or shower before bed
    • Read something relaxing
    • Keep your cell phone outside your bedroom
    • Turn your room temperature to 65-70 degrees during the night

    Keeping a healthy brain is an everyday challenge, and the challenge increases during a pandemic. However, you have many options that will help your brain’s health, including eating healthy, getting adequate sleep, neurofeedback, exercise, and stress reduction. If you are concerned about your brain’s health or someone you know, please give us a call at 303-794-1737.

  • Neurofeedback for ADHD: How Can It Help?

    Neurofeedback for ADHD: How Can It Help?

    Have you heard of neurofeedback? Well, it’s a very promising treatment that has been employed for a variety of conditions, including ADHD.

    In premise, neurofeedback employs the use of instant EEG key-points that allow patients to adapt their brains to improve executive function, focus, and impulse control.

    In this article, we will cover neurofeedback for ADHD in a little bit more depth.

    So keep reading to learn more.

    What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

    As mentioned earlier, neurofeedback therapy employs the use of instant EEG data to allow patients to adapt their brains for predictable outcomes of improved focus, greater impulse control, and functioning execution.

    For over 40 years, patients with ADHD and other disorders have been using neurofeedback in the hopes of training their brains. According to anecdotal and scientific reports, the benefits are:

    1. Brain changes can be measured, and appear to continue well beyond the end of treatment
    2. Brain improvements lead to behavioral changes, such as reduced distractibility, sustainable focus, diminished impulsivity

    Neurofeedback has deep roots in neuroplasticity, the scientific principle in which the brain is identified as malleable. This means that intense and regular practice can transform its baseline activity.

    Over time, neurofeedback can help patients improve the rate of their high-frequency brain waves. Thus, leading to greater control. It’s noted that many ADHD patients generate a greater quantity of theta and delta brain waves. Over 30 sessions, neurofeedback can reverse this overwhelming ratio. The outcome is an engaged brain with reduced symptoms of ADHD.

    Even more specifically, the therapy improves the brain’s capacity and inherent tendency to create beta waves. Those are directly related to problem solving and processing. When a high proportion of theta waves is present, patients will experience disorganization, incomplete work, and distractibility. Neurofeedback diminishes the presence of such brainwaves.

    Where Did It Come From?

    In the 1920s, Hans Berger (German psychiatrist) had connected several electrodes to a scalp of a patient and was able to detect current via a ballistic galvanometer. During the subsequent years, he published many reports about his study of EEGs. And much of the modern understanding of the subject, especially in the frequencies of the middle.

    Later on, G. Dietsch had applied the Fourier analysis to the records of EEG and became the first noted person for researching quantitative EEG. In the 1960s, neurofeedback was popularized by Joe Kamiya who focused on alpha brain waves.

    This a very rough outline of what modern history notes as the roots of EEG, however, there is significantly more to the topic. Feel free to research on your own time, and discover more about the wonders of reading brainwaves.

    Neurofeedback for ADHD

    Neurofeedback for ADHD is also known as electroencephalogram biofeedback. It can help your child learn to have control over their brain activity, which will improve their concentration at work or school.

    In the majority of people, concentrating helps speed up the activity in the brain. This leads to improvements. For children with ADHD, the opposite is true. If the child has ADHD, concentrating will leave them distracted and less efficient. That’s why the old adage of pay attention does not work.

    Neurofeedback training can help your child encourage their brain to be more attentive when the time is right. During a session, the doctor will attach sensors to the head of your child. These sensors are connected to a machine and monitor, allowing your child to see their brain waves. Then the doctor will instruct them to focus on specific tasks. If the child can see how the brain functions in regards to different tasks, they might be able to gain control over it.

    In fact, your child can use the feedback as a guide to understanding how their brain works when performing tasks or concentrating. During therapy, they can employ a variety of strategies to help them maintain focus, and see the direct result from the biofeedback.

    Regular Treatment & ADHD

    In premise, your child can learn to cope with ADHD by adopting behavioral changes that make life simple. Changes to the environment can greatly affect their ADHD symptoms, as well as levels of stimulation.

    Your child might need targeted or stronger treatment in some cases. The doctor might prescribe stimulant medications, which are not the greatest thing, to be honest. For instance, they might prescribe dextroamphetamine or methylphenidate or something else to your child. These medications will certainly help, however, there are plenty of unwanted side-effects.

    Thus, it’s important to speak to your doctor about the potential issues that might come up when treating your child’s ADHD with pharmaceuticals. The common issues are:

    1. Sleep problems
    2. Weight gain
    3. Weight loss
    4. Delayed growth
    5. Stunted growth
    6. Decreased appetite

    In some cases, your child might develop an abnormal heartbeat. In any case, your doctor should be able to weigh the potential risks and benefits of treating their condition. They might recommend alternative treatment methodologies, in addition to or as a replacement for medication.

    For instance, they might recommend neurofeedback, which you have already learned about prior.

    Neurofeedback for Your Child

    Now that you know what neurofeedback for ADHD is, and how it can help, you are well on your way to figuring out whether or not it’s the right treatment for your child. In any case, it’s best to speak to your doctor and learn more about it.

    If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment or simply learning more about neurofeedback, get in touch with us and we will happily accommodate your needs.

  • Can Neurofeedback Therapy Help Insomnia?

    Neurofeedback and Insomnia

    Neurofeedback therapy is an effective method to reduce and resolve insomnia and other sleep disorders. Disruptive brain wave activity will be altered in a 100% safe and non-invasive manner. Furthermore, there is no risk of side effects, and the benefits of following neurofeedback therapy have shown to be long-term. The focus of neurofeedback therapy is on resolving the underlying cause of the sleep disorder instead of only suppressing the symptoms.

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

    How Neurofeedback Helps Against Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders

    By monitoring people with insomnia and other sleep disorders, we discovered disru[tive and divergent brain activity patterns. Neurofeedback impacts the brain areas that regulate sleep behavior. Through neurofeedback therapy, many people can adopt healthier brain activity patterns, which in turn boost the quality of sleep. Many people who receive neurofeedback therapy report improved quality of sleep. If you are suffering from sleep disorders for many years without any improvement despite several efforts, this could be a life-changing decision. Get back your energy, focus, and overall well-being by restoring your sleep quality.

    Why Is Sleep So Important?

    High-quality sleep is crucial for our physical and mental health. It supports the healing of blood vessels and the heart. On the brain level, it reduces toxic cells that we build up during the day and improves our memory function, to name a few. Unfortunately, many people suffer from sleep disorders, putting them at higher risk for physical illnesses and mental deprivation.

    What are some of the most common sleep disorders?

    sleep disordersInsomnia is the problem of falling asleep or staying asleep. Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders that people struggle with. Most people have experienced periods in their life when they struggled with acute insomnia. We call it acute insomnia when it is a short-term problem of a few nights or a few weeks. When the problem exists for at least three nights a week for more than three months, it becomes chronic insomnia.

    Obstructive sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder that is caused by a narrow, flaccid throat. Air cannot flow freely while breathing, causing the person to wake up several times a night almost unnoticeable before falling asleep again. This cycle happens several times a night. During the day, people who suffer from this disorder feel exhausted. Sleep apnea is often accompanied by excessive snoring, another sleep disorder that causes sleep disturbances for both you and your partner.

    Rapid Eye Movement (REM) behavior disorder causes the person to physically act out his dreams during the REM phase of sleep. It can physically hurt both yourself and your partner by uncontrolled, sometimes even violent movements.

    The above are just a few of the most common sleep disorders. Some of these disorders are physical in nature. Others are due to stress, which neurofeedback therapy has been shown to help alleviate the symptoms.

    What is Neurofeedback Therapy?

    Neurofeedback therapy utilizes EEG sensors to capture brainwaves in real-time. Brainwaves are the electrical impulses moving from one cell to another to communicate between them. These images are used to self-train the brain of the client. When your brain displays the preferred activity, the client will receive positive neurofeedback, while simply watching a movie or listening to music. Similiar with the muscles of the body, you will regularly train your brain to reach the desired state. Your brain will become more skilled at reaching and staying in the desired state, without drifting off into undesired brain activity. To find out more about, check out this article- What Is Neurofeedback?

    Research on Neurofeedback Therapy for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders

    A growing body of research in the last decade backs up the positive effects of neurofeedback therapy on insomnia and other sleep disorders. For example, Cortoos et al. (2010) have shown improvement in total sleeping time only in individuals who received neurofeedback therapy. Recent research suggests that the circadian phase delay plays a central role in the onset of insomnia. Arns and Kenemans (2014) showed an increased sleep spindle density resulting in the normalization of insomnia after receiving neurofeedback therapy.

    Conclusion-

    Neurofeedback therapy is a safe, effective treatment of insomnia and other stress-related sleep disorders. Neurofeedback therapy does not use medications to reduce symptoms. This therapy has been shown effective by research and often alleviates the symptoms that people struggle with on a nightly basis for good. If you want to find out if neurofeedback therapy can help you have a better night’s sleep, please schedule a free, no-obligation evaluation with the doctor in our wellness clinic.

    Schedule online right now or contact our clinic for any questions you may have. Our friendly staff will get back to you as soon as possible.

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

    Research references:

    Cortoos, A., De Valck, E., Arns, M., Breteler, M. H. M., & Cluydts, R. (2010). An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Tele-neurofeedback and Tele-biofeedback on Objective and Subjective Sleep in Patients with Primary Insomnia. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 35(2), 125-134.

    Arns, Martijn, and J. Leon Kenemans. “Neurofeedback in ADHD and insomnia: vigilance stabilization through sleep spindles and circadian networks.” Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews 44 (2014): 183-94.

  • Can Neurofeedback Therapy Help With OCD?

    OCD and Neurofeedback therapy

    OCD and Neurofeedback Therapy

    Imagine going through your daily routine without your mind thinking about the same thing over and over again. Neurofeedback therapy can be a method to quiet the mental chatter of OCD and help restore your life to normal. As you will learn, neurofeedback therapy has been successfully helping people overcome debilitating OCD, regain energy, and allow you to function at your highest level.

    The Pressure of Modern Society

    In modern society, we receive a daily overload of information brought to us by countless different channels like social media. Adults, teenagers, and even children have ever-expanding agendas and feel the pressure to
    keep up with the Joneses. It comes as no surprise that so many people struggle with mental problems and disorders from all the stresses we face each day. All this stress and anxiety leads to mental disorders of which the obsessive-compulsive disorder is one.

    The Struggle of People with OCD

    OCD quoteObsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD is currently prevalent in about 3 million people of the American population. OCD is often triggered in late adolescence and people in their early twenties, but children can develop OCD as well. Stress and anxiety are common causes to elicit an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    OCD is a mental illness characterized by obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behavior. The underlying cause is irrational anxiety and fears triggering routine compulsive behavior or obsessive thoughts. Performing this behavior gives temporary stress relief to the person suffering from OCD. A person with OCD often feels that their obsessive thoughts or compulsive behavior can avert adverse events from happening.

    A person with OCD described it as, “For me, it’s an ever-present nagging feeling that something is just ‘not right.’ I can never really, truly, ‘make it right.’ I have to learn to live with the all-consuming feeling of mental discomfort.”

    What is Neurofeedback Therapy?

    Neurofeedback therapy is a reward-based training to change the activity of your brain. No medication is used during neurofeedback therapy, and it is 100% safe. EEG sensors will monitor your brainwaves during all kinds of activities. When the brain operates optimally, positive feedback will be given to promote these brainwaves. But if the brain is showing non-optimal activity, you will receive “negative” feedback. Your brain can learn from this feedback to construct more effective brain neuropathways. These newly formed brain pathways will help to mitigate numerous symptoms. If you want to find out more check out this article- What Is Neurofeedback?

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

    How does Neurofeedback therapy works?

    The first step is to assess the brain with a brain map. A brain map uses sensors on your scalp and ears to measure brainwave activity. The brain map gives us a baseline for the function of your brain.

    The doctor will explain everything you need to know about the result of the brain map. Together with the doctor, you will set up a treatment plan.

    During the treatment, your brainwaves will be monitored. The process can be as simple as watching a movie. As long as the preferred brain waves are present, the screen stays bright, but the screen darkens when unwanted brain waves are active. By positive reinforcement, the client learns to adjust and reshape its brainwave activity. The changes in the brain will help to reduce obsessive thoughts, fear, and anxiety.

    What Does Research Say About Neurofeedback Therapy and OCD?

    A study performed at Yale University showed great promise with neurofeedback therapy and OCD. The researchers found that a person battling OCD can train their brain to reduce symptoms of the disorder. The authors of the study also noted that neurofeedback training might help understand the unlying causes of this disorder.

    Another study looked at 36 people who had drug-resistant OCD to see if neurofeedback therapy would help symptoms. Thirty-three of the 36 research subjects showed a significant reduction in OCD symptoms. A follow up with the individuals of this study after 26 months was conducted, and a majority maintained the improvements.

    How Can Neurofeedback Therapy Help People with OCD?

    When you complete the neurofeedback therapy, your brain will be less emotionally reactive. It will give you more control over your emotions, feelings, and behavior. In turn, it will reduce and finally eliminate the symptoms of your obsessive-compulsive disorder, bringing you peace of mind and the freedom to choose your response. Moreover, neurofeedback therapy is free of any side-effect risks and completely painless. Your brain will learn to perform better after just a few treatments and permanently change after receiving the full treatment.

    Conclusion-

    Neurofeedback therapy has been shown to help people suffering from OCD. Research and clinical findings have shown that with neurofeedback therapy, symptoms of OCD improve significantly. Neurofeedback therapy is a drug-free, non-invasive, safe, and natural treatment option. Find out today if this therapy would work for you.

    You can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with the doctor online or call our office at 303-794-1737. Let us help you live a better life without the anxiety and symptoms of OCD. Contact us today!

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

  • How Neurofeedback Therapy Can Help TBI

    Can Neurofeedback Therapy Help TBI

    The use of neurofeedback therapy to alleviate and treat the symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has evolved significantly, becoming a promising option for the treatment of this condition. This process works by measuring patterns and outputs of your brain and then comparing it to ideal brain function and cognitive states.

    What Is A TBI?

    TBI pertains to a sudden injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. It is known to cause problems with behavior, cognition, attention, and emotional sensitivity. According to an analysis by Jacobson (2015), two million cases of brain injuries occur every year in the United States. Some of the patients recover entirely, but around 50% continue to endure symptoms for six months or more after the injury.

    When a brain injury occurs, the damage is usually focused on the frontal lobe. Frontal lobe damage can cause changes in a person’s personality and mood and affect one’s ability to plan, concentrate, control their emotions, sustain attention, and form memories. In some cases, the loss of the sense of self occurs. However, most of the brain injury patients remember themselves and how they use to function.

    What Are The Symptoms of a TBI?

    The symptoms that come with TBI ranges from mild to severe. While it is possible for the symptoms to be serious, most patients experience only mild symptoms such as concussions. TBI’s more severe symptoms sometimes lead to severe psychological and physical problems, coma, and death, in some cases.

    How Does Neurofeedback Therapy Help TBI?

    In cases of TBI, neurofeedback is probably better than any medication or supplement. – Richard Brown, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia 
College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY

    Neurofeedback therapy is one of the most common methods used to treat and alleviate TBI’s symptoms. By utilizing Quantitative Electroencephalogram (qEEG) and specialized computer software, the neural functions are regulated, training the brain’s self-regulating activities through the process of operant conditioning. If you want to find out more about neurofeedback check out this article- What Is Neurofeedback?

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

    What Does The Research Say About Neurofeedback Therapy and TBI?

    From a systematic review conducted by Wang, Mantini, and Gilbert (2017), the outputs demonstrated that training promotes learned brain signal modulations, varying at both behavioral and neural levels. Furthermore, the review showed that this technique is also a useful option for stroke rehabilitation.

    A review of Foster and Thatcher’s (2014) research verified the efficiency of using neurofeedback therapy in treating mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The studies established that it only takes around ten neurofeedback sessions before starting to see improvements in patients. As the neurofeedback methods improve, the number of sessions needed to see gains are reduced.

    Zorcec (2011) studied the utilization of neurofeedback training and its effects on 6 TBI patients, all of them sustaining car accident injuries. Cognitive difficulties were considered the primary concern after conducting a QEEG assessment on the patients. After 20 neurofeedback sessions, 5 out of 6 patients were able to resume their education, all reported improved quality of sleep, mood, and cognitive abilities.

    Moreover, neurofeedback was used to treat brain injury patients in a study performed by Ayers (1987). Two groups were involved throughout the process. One received psychotherapy while the other received neurofeedback. The neurofeedback group reported reduced symptoms of anger, outbursts, anxiety, and mood issues. On the other hand, the other group showed no improvement with these symptoms.

    Conclusion-

    Neurofeedback therapy is a research-proven method to improve brain function through the use of intensive brain-training exercises. As a patient, you can expect the process to be simple, non-invasive, and painless. The program is generally developed to help you alter your brain activity, just like how you learn other skills through practice and feedback.

    If you are looking for a safe, effective, and drug-free way of relieving symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, you need to check out neurofeedback therapy. At our wellness center in Littleton, CO, we help people daily improve and heal from TBIs. Find out if neurofeedback therapy will work for you we offer a free, no-obligation, evaluation to see if this is the right treatment for you. Schedule online today or call our office to find out more information.

    schedule free neurofeedback evaluation today

  • 3 Easy Ways to Improve Your Brain

    3 Easy Ways to Improve your brain

    Do you want to know 3 ways to improve your brain easily?

    Who wouldn’t want to improve their brain in any way possible if they could.  There are many ways that you can have better brain function. In this article, I would like to concentrate on your brain and 3 easy ways to help your brain out.

    Many people are having issues related to and stemming from their brains these days. Your brain is connected to your nervous system, and together, this is the Master System in your body. It controls and coordinates ALL functions in your body. If your brain is not functioning properly or is imbalanced, it can have devastating effects on your body and health. The same can be said for your nervous system. Without further delay, here are the 3 easy ways to improve your brain.

    Brain Hack #1 For Improvement

    walk in nature to improve brain  The first thing you can do to help your brain is to get out in nature. It is shown we spend 86% of our time indoors and another 6% of our time in enclosed vehicles. That is a lot of our time! Getting out into nature helps reduce inflammation. Inflammation can hinder your brain’s ability to have good decision-making skills. So just by getting out in nature, you can help reduce inflammation and increase your good decision-making skills! It appears that the way this might be happening is by reducing stress. We know that chronic stress leads to inflammation if it is not addressed. We also know that our modern lifestyle is often shown to be much more stressful than the lives of our ancestors. We need to give our brains a break and this is a good option.

    So, how can you do this? You might not live by a park, you might be in the middle of a big city, you might think you don’t have time, etc. Well, to start, ANY time in nature is better than none! So, start with what you can. You do not need to visit a park to make it worthwhile. Anywhere outside will do. Instead of driving or taking the bus for a few blocks, walk to your destination. If you are getting outside and want to take things a step further, you can bring some outside in via houseplants.

    Brain Hack #2 For Improvement

    take a break from technologyThe second thing you can do is to detox from technology. The average American is spending about 12 hours per day looking at screens! What are people missing out on because they are in front of screens so much? It is likely things like time in nature, spending quality time with family and friends, exercising, developing connections, and other things that are beneficial to our lives. People feel that we are all connected through things like social media, but this is not a true connection and people are lonelier now than ever before. In addition to this, studies have shown that spending too much time on social media actually changes the structure of the brain!

    We know that everybody cannot just get rid of all their technology. However, you can choose to reduce your screen time as well as make the choice to use technology in a conscious way. Here are three ways:

    1. Reduce Blue Light- One good habit to get into is no screens at night. The blue light emitted from the screens is detrimental to your health and sleep.
    2. Mindful Eating- Another is eating dinner without screens. This impairs your body’s ability to digest food properly and takes away the mindfulness involved.
    3. Screen Break- A third is to take a break from your phone and screens. Set a time frame when you will not use your phone, even if you get a call or text.

    A good time to do this would be dinner. Instead, talk to your family or friends and enjoy your meal. Sometimes it is easier if you leave your phone in another room so you are not tempted to use it. You can also set times where you may not want the phone in another room the whole time, but maybe you turn off notifications or turn your phone on silent for a bit.

    Brain Hack #3 For Improvement

    brain foodThe last thing you can do is to be conscious of what you eat and make healthy choices! The foods you choose to eat are going to affect your ability to make good choices as well as how you see the world. The foods you eat precisely impact your brain. When you eat inflammatory foods, it directly challenges your brain’s ability to make good decisions. One of the things that change the way the brain is wired is our food choices. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat different foods and then you can make modifications when necessary.

    Summary of 3 Easy Ways To Improve Your Brain

    These are 3 easy things you can do today to impact your brain. Make sure you connect with nature. Take a break from your devices. Be conscious of what you eat and eat foods that support your brain.

    If you feel your brain is off, you may want to consider neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a natural, drug-free method of balancing the brain and encouraging the proper neural pathways. Neurofeedback can help with things like insomnia, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, learning disorders, and more! Check out our article on What Is Neurofeedback?

    Please contact Dody Chiropractic Center for Wholeness if you would like to learn more about your treating your brain!