Nearly 44 million people around the world are directly affected by Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, and a condition caused by degeneration of the brain and resulting in significant memory loss and other cognitive abilities. For those indirectly affected, the number is much higher.
Alzheimer and dementia caregivers frequently report high levels of stress and burnout, making daily tasks and activities – like performing optimally at work, preparing healthy meals, and getting quality sleep – a very distant thought and priority. Caring for another often results in putting your own needs last, and this can have cyclical and negative effects on your own brain health as well.
In honor of June being Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month, we want to arm caregivers and non-caregivers alike with some easy tools they can use to improve the health and functionality of the brain, and thereby offset the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or other degenerative brain conditions, and ultimately help reduce the trend of degenerative brain health in the US.
As leaders in worksite wellness, our mission is to provide corporate wellness solutions to employees that empower them to make sustainable lifestyle changes. We have compiled a few easy and non-intrusive well-being tips that employees can use and implement, both at home and at work, to help improve their own brain health:
Talk with a Coworker or Friend About an Idea or Topic That Challenges Your Perspective or Opinion - This will help exercise your brain to ‘think outside the box’ and stay open-minded to other possibilities and viewpoints.
Focus on the Positive and Set Goals – Find a daily affirmation that resonates with you (or make one!) and put it on a sticky note or set it as a daily calendar ‘reminder’ in your email or on your phone to help you stay focused on a goal or project. Changing the actual psychology of your outlook and re-training your brain to stay positive and uplifted invites positive intentions to come to fruition.
Meditate and Practice Mindfulness – There are many wonderful mobile apps available for download that host great short and introductory meditation sessions on various topics; you can do these sessions each morning before work, at your desk or in an employee lounge during the work day, or before bed. We recommend checking out Calm or Headspace to get started. For more information about mindfulness and meditation options, ask us about our Yoga Instructor-led ‘Meditation 101’ interactive seminar program!
Make Sleep a Priority – Sleeping is vital for brain function and restoration, and adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night on average. Something keeping you up? Try to identify what that is and take steps to address it. For more information on how to improve sleep hygiene, ask us about our ‘Rev Up Your REM’ seminar program or our digital ‘30 Day Optimal Sleep Challenge’ and Sleep Education video series, all curated by Registered Dietitians and expert Healthcare Professionals.
Eat Well – Diet matters! The food we eat and how we eat it is connected not only to our body and overall health, but also to our brain function and future. Integrate known brain-health-boosting foods into your diet, like broccoli, spinach, berries, green tea, eggs, avocados, beans, oily fish, and more. If making full meals with these ingredients seems daunting, start first with snacks that you can eat at work! For more ideas on revamping your diet for better brain & body health, ask us about our ‘Luminate Your Brain Through Optimal Nutrition’ wellness seminar or hybrid cooking demonstration program.
We hope that these suggestions will serve you and your employees well. For more information on any of our well-being programs or how we could help your clients or company develop a plan for better brain health and overall improved wellness and employee productivity, please contact us at info@well-concepts.com or 413-591-6729.
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