6 Tips for a Better Brain (According to Neuroscience)

Hands up if you set yourself a fitness related goal this year?

Maybe to go to the gym 3 times a week. Complete Couch to 5K. Train for a marathon?

If your hand is in the air, then you guys know this…

In order to stand any chance of achieving that goal, there’s a formula that’s proven to work:

Challenge. Rest. Nourish. Repeat.

It’s what our bodies respond to.

And it turns out, our brains are no different.

According to neuroscientists, challenging our brain, allowing it to recover, fueling it properly, and repeating, protects us all long-term. With some habits proven to even help protect against dementia.

Let's get into the 6 top tips for a better brain. Backed by neuroscience.

Key Takeaways

No time to read the full article? Here are the highlights.

If we want a sharper, more resilient brain, the formula is simple:

Challenge it

• Move regularly. Our brains are oxygen-hungry, and better blood flow means better thinking. Exercise also shifts our chemistry, boosting dopamine and serotonin. Which supports focus, clarity, motivation and mood.
• Stay socially connected. Not just scrolling. Real interaction. A proper conversation. A shared laugh. That kind of connection regulates stress, lowers cortisol and keeps our minds engaged in the way they’ve evolved to thrive.

Let it rest

• Sleep is when we build and file memories, regulate emotion and clear out the day’s waste. It’s less “doing nothing” and more overnight maintenance.
• Moments of reflection matter too. Stepping away from constant input reduces cognitive load and gives our brains the space to solve problems more clearly.

Nourish it

• Hydrate daily. Even mild dehydration makes everything feel harder than it needs to be.
• Eat for stability rather than spikes. Fibre, protein, healthy fats and omega-3s help keep our energy steady and support the long-term function of the organ we rely on for everything.

Repeat.

Small habits. Done consistently. Compound over time.

So what does that actually look like in real life?

Challenge

Exercise: When the Body Moves, the Brain Improves

What’s good for the blood vessels is good for the brain.

It’s not the catchiest of slogans, but it’s the truth.

Our brain is one of the most oxygen-hungry organs in our body. Consuming roughly 20% of our oxygen supply. Every thought, decision and memory depends on a steady flow of oxygen-rich blood reaching brain tissue.

When we move, circulation improves. Blood vessels dilate. Oxygen and glucose delivery increases. The brain gets more of what it needs to do its job well.

Then chemistry steps in.

Dopamine rises. Helping us feel motivated and engaged.
Norepinephrine sharpens focus.
Serotonin steadies mood.

And levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) increase.

Why is BDNF important?

Because BDNF supports neuron survival and helps strengthen the connections between brain cells. Think of it as maintenance support for our neural wiring. Keeping neurons adaptable and resilient over time.

It’s particularly active in the hippocampus - the region heavily involved in learning and memory.

This is why a walk can untangle a mental knot.
Why ideas land mid-run.
Why the solution often appears once we’ve stopped staring at the screen.

It’s not coincidence. It’s physiology.

What can we do?

Our brain doesn’t need intensity. It needs consistency.
A brisk 20-minute walk.
Strength training twice a week.
Cycling or swimming.

It doesn’t have to be huge, but it does need to get our heart pumping.

Physical challenge is one way we stretch the system. Social challenge is another…

Connect: When the Social Brain Switches On

Are you guilty of being secretly pleased when social plans get cancelled?

Relieved to have your evening back. No small talk. No effort. Carte blanche to do exactly what you want.

We get it. Social interaction takes energy.

But from a neuroscience perspective, connection isn’t optional, it’s regulatory.

Our brains evolved in tight-knit groups.

The systems that govern stress, emotion and decision-making developed in the presence of other people. Social interaction helps regulate cortisol. While positive connection increases oxytocin, a hormone linked to trust, bonding and calm.

There’s even structural evidence.

Research has found that the size of a person’s social network is associated with the volume of the orbitofrontal cortex, a region involved in social cognition and emotional processing.⁽¹⁾ In simple terms, the part of the brain that helps us navigate relationships, appears to grow the more we exercise it.

On the other end of the spectrum, long-term social isolation has been associated with structural brain changes and increased dementia risk.

And isolation doesn’t always look dramatic. In large studies, it simply meant living alone, speaking to others infrequently, and participating in social activities less than weekly.⁽²⁾

We are wired for interaction. Even if we sometimes resist it.

What can we do?

Choose active connection over passive contact.

It doesn’t have to be deep or every day.

Sometimes it’s shared attention, eye contact, being heard, or having a proper laugh that pulls your body out of stress mode.

These aren’t soft extras. They’re nervous-system signals of safety.

It may mean pushing ourselves a little more out of our comfort zone. But it’s all part of the formula: Challenge, rest, nourish. Repeat.

Rest

Challenge without recovery is just stress. And this is where rest becomes non-negotiable.

Sleep: When the Housekeeping Happens

There’s a tendency to treat sleep like downtime.

It’s even something a lot of us put off. To squeeze more out of the day, enjoy a quiet house, or watch just one more episode.

But whilst we're asleep, our brain is working hard.

During deep sleep, the hippocampus, a region central to learning and memory, replays the day’s information. Important details are strengthened. Irrelevant ones are discarded, and experiences are transferred into longer-term storage.

It’s less “switching off” and more “system download.”

At the same time, the brain’s glymphatic system becomes more active. This is its waste-clearance process. Flushing out metabolic byproducts that build up during waking hours.

Brainwashing - but the productive type.

Then there’s REM sleep. This is where emotional processing happens. It helps regulate mood and connect new information with what you already know.

Instead of ‘never go to sleep on an argument’. Maybe… go to sleep on that argument?

Because from a neuroscience perspective, a good night’s sleep can reduce the intensity of an emotional reaction. During REM, the brain reprocesses experiences with lower levels of stress chemistry. The event is integrated into broader context. The sharp edges soften. Which may explain why “sleeping on it” often works.

What can we do?

Aim for consistency over compensation. That means ditching the weekend ‘catch-up’ sleep.

Your brain thrives on rhythm. A regular sleep–wake cycle supports steadier focus and sharper thinking. That also means limiting anything that disrupts that rhythm. Late-night scrolling, evening alcohol, or irregular bedtimes that shift by hours depending on the day.

A well-rested brain isn’t just less tired. It’s more efficiently organized.

Reflect: When Boredom Becomes a Productivity Tool

We’re rarely bored anymore.

There’s always input. A podcast. A scroll. A notification. Something to respond to.

But our brain wasn’t designed for constant stimulation. When we pause, and I mean properly pause — a different network becomes active.

The Default Mode Network.

This is the system associated with self-reflection, integration and meaning-making. It’s where experiences are woven into understanding.

Why is this important?

Because reflection reduces cognitive load and supports clarity and creative problem solving.

It allows the prefrontal cortex (the part responsible for decision-making and impulse control) to recover from constant demand. Structured practices like meditation have been shown to physically alter brain regions involved in attention and emotional regulation.

Studies from Harvard researcher Dr Sara Lazar, have found increased cortical thickness in areas such as the prefrontal cortex in long-term meditators.⁽³⁾ 50 year old meditators showed the same amount of cortex as 25 year olds. Suggesting that practicing meditation may actually slow down or prevent the natural age-related decline in cortical structure.

“But I don’t have time to meditate.”

That’s ok. Because reflection doesn’t always require a cushion and 20 silent minutes.

It might be:
A walk without headphones.
Five minutes of slow breathing.
Writing down what’s circling your mind.

Clarity comes when we allow the brain to process what’s already there.

Nourish

Challenge stretches the brain. Rest restores it. Reflection integrates it. Now we fuel it.

Hydrate: When Flow Supports Focus

“I’ve got a headache” - Drink some water.
“I’ve got brain fog” - Drink some water.
“I feel dizzy” - Drink some water.

There’s a reason the answer is frequently ’Drink Some Water’.

More often than not, our headache is our brain’s way of telling us it’s thirsty.

Our brain is made up of 75% water.

Even if we don’t feel thirsty, a mild dehydration (as little as 1-2%), can impact our ability to think clearly. Concentration dips, reaction time slows, attention drifts, and memory feels harder to access.

Why is this?

Because our brain runs on oxygen, glucose, and micronutrients. All of which are delivered via our bloodstream. Hydration helps maintain healthy blood volume and circulation, which keeps that supply steady.

At the same time, neurons communicate by moving charged minerals across their membranes in a water-based environment. When fluid levels drop, the system has to work harder to maintain balance. The result isn’t dramatic. It’s subtle. But tasks feel more difficult, focus fades faster. And the day feels heavier than it needs to.

What can we do?

Make our first drink of the day a large glass of water.

Overnight, we’ve gone 7–8 hours without fluid intake. We’re waking up mildly dehydrated whether we realize it or not. Rehydrating first thing helps restore blood volume and supports that ‘switched-on’ feeling. This is going to help us tackle those 9am meetings, emails and problem-solving tasks.

Food: When Focus is Fueled

Our brain might only account for around 2% of our body weight. But it uses roughly 20% of our energy.

It’s metabolically expensive.

Every signal sent between neurons requires fuel. Every decision, memory and emotional response draws on energy. And like any high-performance system, the quality of that fuel really does matter.

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are structural components of neuronal membranes. They help maintain membrane flexibility, which supports efficient communication between brain cells.

Over time, that structural support matters. A 2026 large population study has linked higher blood omega-3 levels with a significantly lower risk of early-onset dementia.⁽⁴⁾ A reminder that how we feed our brain today, can shape how it performs tomorrow.

Then there’s glucose.

The brain runs on it. But it prefers stability over spikes. Sharp rises and crashes in blood sugar can show up as brain fog, low patience or a mid-afternoon slump.

What can we do?

Prioritize stability over spikes.

Build meals around fibre, protein and healthy fats to keep blood sugar steady. Include omega-3-rich foods regularly — oily fish, flax, walnuts. Add colour from plants for polyphenols. Think variety, not extremes.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency.

Leafy greens. Whole grains. Nuts. Berries. Eggs. Oily fish. Beans. Dark chocolate.

Not as a trend — but as maintenance for the organ you rely on every day.

Final Thoughts

If we step back, none of this is revolutionary.

We already understand the formula when it comes to our bodies. We challenge them. We let them recover. We fuel them properly. And we repeat.

It turns out our brains respond to the same principles.

We don’t need extreme biohacks or complicated routines. We need regular movement. Real connection. Consistent sleep. Moments of quiet. Enough water. And food that doesn’t cause us to swing from spike to crash.

On their own, each habit might feel small. But layered together, and repeated over months and years, they shape how clearly we think, how well we regulate stress, and how resilient our brains remain as we age.

Brain health isn’t built in a single breakthrough moment. It’s built in the ordinary things we choose to repeat. And that’s good news. Because it means we’re already closer than we think.

References