4. Keep Socially Connected
Loneliness and social isolation is prevalent across all ages, genders, and cultures — further elevated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Robust scientific evidence has indicated that social isolation is detrimental to physical, cognitive and mental health.
One recent study showed that there were negative effects of COVID-19 isolation on emotional cognition, but that this effect was smaller in those that stayed connected with others during lockdown. Developing social connections and alleviating loneliness is also associated with decreased risk of mortality as well as a range of illnesses.
Therefore, loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized as critical public health issues, which require effective interventions. And social interaction is associated with positive feelings and increased activation in the brain’s reward system.
In 2021, be sure to keep up with family and friends, but also expand your horizons and make some new connections.
5. Learn Something New
The brain changes during critical periods of development, but is also a lifelong process. Novel experiences, such as learning new skills, can modify both brain function and the underlying brain structure. For example juggling has been shown to increase white matter (tissue composed of nerve fibers) structures in the brain associated with visuomotor performance.
Similarly, musicians have been shown to have increased gray matter in the parts of the brain that process auditory information. Learning a new language can also change the structure of the human brain.
A large review of the literature suggested that mentally stimulating leisure activities increase brain-reserve, which can instill resilience and be protective of cognitive decline in older adults — be it chess or cognitive games.
6. Sleep Properly
Sleep is an essential component of human life, yet many people do not understand the relationship between good brain health and the process of sleeping. During sleep, the brain reorganizes and recharges itself and removes toxic waste byproducts, which helps to maintain normal brain functioning.
Sleep is very important for transforming experiences into our long-term memory, maintaining cognitive and emotional function and reducing mental fatigue. Studies of sleep deprivation have demonstrated deficits in memory and attention as well as changes in the reward system, which often disrupts emotional functioning. Sleep also exerts a strong regulatory influence on the immune system. If you have the optimal quantity and quality of sleep, you will find that you have more energy, better well-being and are able to develop your creativity and thinking.
So have a Happy New Year! And let’s make the most of ourselves in 2021 and help others to do the same.
This article from Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge; Christelle Langley, postdoctoral research associate in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge; and Jianfeng Feng, professor of science and technology for brain-inspired intelligence at Fudan University, was originally published at The Conversation.