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As the year draws to a close, stress increases. Year-end closings, projects and events, exams for students and pupils – all of this leads to a loss of concentration, fatigue, and distraction appears or intensifies. The need to make quick decisions under stress makes us look for ways to maintain a clear and strong focus.
We offer you a few tips on nutrition and on maintaining mental strength through exercises, to help you handle your tasks successfully.
Feed your mind properly!
Clean proteins, a source of amino acids, and antioxidants are important for the body's key processes, for supplying the energy we use. And the brain “eats” a lot of our energy. When the body is at rest – not engaged in any activity other than breathing, digestion, and temperature regulation – the brain consumes a staggering 20% to 25% of the body's total energy, mainly in the form of glucose. That's 350–450 calories a day. During childhood, the brain is even hungrier for energy. “In children around 5-6 years old, the brain can use over 60% of the body's energy,” says Doug Boyer, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. Boyer studies anatomical and physiological changes related to the origin of primates. The publication recalls the famous 1984 case when, at the World Chess Championship, the match was halted due to the alarming physical condition of Anatoly Karpov, the elite Russian player competing for the title. Over the preceding five months and dozens of games, Karpov had lost 10 kilograms. The brain, therefore, is the most energy-consuming organ in the body, even though it makes up barely 2% of total body weight. That's why proper nutrition is so important. Fish, lean meat, and plenty of vegetables form the basis of a good diet for the mind. Fish oil, which contains Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and A, is always recommended during periods of intense mental work.
Children's brains also need to be fed with Omega-3 fatty acids. The brain is made up of about 60% fatty tissue, and DHA is found mainly in the areas of the brain responsible for sensory perception and intelligence.
The fatty acids EPA and DHA help children develop the ability to concentrate, and help adults maintain focus. Omega-3 acids regulate the growth of nerve cells and the myelin sheath, which insulates the nerves. They also affect the formation of blood vessels and the development of the eyes and vision.
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are rich not only in antioxidants but also in vitamin C and flavonoids that support the brain. Dark chocolate helps blood flow to the brain.
Among nuts, choose the tasty but underrated pumpkin seeds. They are rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper. Zinc is crucial for nerve signaling. Zinc deficiency is linked to many neurological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, depression, and Parkinson's disease. Magnesium and iron support memory and overall brain function.
Sleep better!
Under stress and exhaustion, sleep becomes even more necessary. It heals. Before reaching for medication, try restoring your sleep with proper nutrition, more movement, and certain supplements. Regular exercise improves symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea, and increases the time we spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. It's recommended that intense workouts not be scheduled too late in the evening – at least 3 hours before bedtime. Before sleep, yoga or relaxing exercises prepare the body for rest. Magnesium in the evening also helps you fall asleep and reduces nighttime awakenings. It also fights muscle cramps, which are very painful at night.
Digital detox for better ideas
Silvina Furnadzhieva, one of the first and leading productivity consultants in Bulgaria, recommends disconnecting from the online environment for a few hours or days to support our work online and under stress. “If we make it a habit to disconnect from the online environment for a few hours each week, for example, it makes us more rested and effective for the rest of the week. And the positive effects don't stop there. It's paradoxical that, precisely when our work is directly tied to the online environment, stepping away from it can bring additional benefits. When we rest, our brain has the opportunity to enter the so-called 'diffuse mode of thinking.' Unlike focused thinking, when we consciously concentrate on a specific activity, in diffuse mode our thoughts wander freely and make connections between seemingly unrelated things. It is precisely in this mode of thinking that our best ideas come to us – ideas we can then apply to our work.”
Play with your brain!
Board games, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, even solving math problems or mysteries are all suitable brain games, helping it think “outside the box” in search of solutions. Jim Kwik, author of the bestseller Limitless, recommends a few simple exercises.
For example, mentally counting the words in a paragraph of written text on paper. Or counting down from 100 to 1, with variations. Why not carefully observe an object and try to memorize every one of its characteristics – color, shape, indentations, shades. The goal is to think of nothing else. The recommendation is to start with 1 minute of observation and increase it to 10-15 minutes, with breaks in between. Visualizing an object or action in your mind, in full detail, is like a workout for the mind.
Here's a yoga exercise: Sit with your back straight. You can sit cross-legged in a yoga pose or simply sit on a chair. What matters is sitting upright and comfortably. Increase the intensity of the exercises slowly and move to a greater number of repetitions only if you can comfortably and easily perform the steps. The goal is to stay focused in this position.
