BRAIN HEALTH GUIDELINES

These guidelines consist of daily habits and health techniques that are essential to maintaining brain health. The most resource demanding organ in the body, the brain depends on the function of other systems and organs to supply those resources. Healthy respiration, circulation, digestion, and circadian rhythms are the central functions that provide the brain with a sufficient supply of oxygen and nutrition, while also supporting the natural cleaning and repairing processes of brain cells. The improved performance achieved by using these principles will also optimize the effects of neurofeedback training.
This list should be understood as a breakdown of not only what to do, but when to do it, and how frequently is should be done.
*Note: the bullet points are listed in the order that they should be followed
Starting the Day/ Morning routine:
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Prioritize waking early (5-7am). If working a late / night shift, prioritize getting no less than 7-9 hours of sleep.
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First thing after waking, drink 20-30 oz of filtered/purified water at or above room temperature.
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After drinking water, make sure to go outside into natural daylight for a minimum of 30-45 min (even if it is overcast). Early morning availability of blue light is central to healthy circadian function, neurochemistry, and hormones.
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do at least a 15-30 min medium-intensity bout of exercise in the morning, on an empty stomach. Very important to start the day fasted until after exercise.

Water & Diet:
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Drink 20-30 ounces of purified/filtered water at or above room temperature 20-30 mins before a meal, or immediately after exercise (repeat 2-3 times total per day)
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minimize refined sugar intake
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include protein and complex carbohydrates in every meal
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eat 3-5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day
The adult human body is composed of 60-70% water. Soft tissue found in muscles, organs, and joints is composed of at least 90% water. The human brain is a soft tissue who's basic requirement of water is essential to cognitive and mental health. Replenishing your water loss is the first line of defense against the common symptoms of mental fatigue, failure of attention or focus, and even decreased mood. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the absorption of the water, as well as Vitamin C.
You can easily track how hydrated you are by simply looking at how clear or yellow your urine is. Pale yellow or clear is a sign of adequate hydration.

Sleep/Bedtime etiquette:
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Sleep an average of 7-8 hours (9+ if recovering from illness)
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If waking in the middle of the night or having difficulty falling asleep, avoid bright lights and screen devices
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Do not keep a frontlit/ backlit digital time clock visible in your sleeping environment
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If possible turn mobile phones on airplane mode during sleep
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Avoid eating within 3 hours of bedtime, or even longer if you can
Sleep is one of the primary indicators of brain health and cognitive performance. The absence of adequate sleep commonly causes the onset of mental and cognitive dysfunctions.
The digestive system has one of the greatest influences upon your sleep, and the quality of your sleep can be obtained through improving the quality of your diet. Additionally, ensuring an empty digestive system during sleep will be essential to improving the health of both.
The presence of light interrupts healthy sleep cycles and it may be helpful to keep your sleeping environment darkened as much as possible. If darkening the environment is impossible, an eye mask may be the next easiest option. It is also helpful to turn mobile phones off (or on Silent mode) in order to avoid message alerts from disturbing sleep. The presence of light influences your circadian clock, so it is best to keep anything with a light source (including clocks) off or covered. If you're having trouble falling asleep it is best to stay in bed and do a simple breathing exercise until you are able to fall asleep again (breathe through the nose, unless plugged for any reason, and keep the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation. Example: 3 count inhale and 6 count exhale. The count can be whatever is most comfortable, as long as the exhale is longer than the inhale)

Exercise & Fitness:
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A combined minimum of 2+ hours per week, but aim for 5+ hours.
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Ideally a combination of cardiovascular, resistance (strength), and flexibility training
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Make sure to work to a challenging intensity to elevate heart rate and induce perspiration
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If available, sauna exposure of 1-2 sessions/week can have significant benefits for brain health
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Avoid exercise on a full stomach (instead, have a meal within 1 hour after exercising)

The brain and nervous system depend on the health of the musculoskeletal system. Both physical and respiratory fitness allow healthy circulation and metabolism, which in turn support the resource demands of the brain. Elevated respiration, perspiration, and fatigue are all characteristics of a moderate to high intensity workout, and necessary for optimal nervous system health.

Meditation & Mindfulness:
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Establish a minimum 5-minute meditation routine, preferably at the same time each day.
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Maintaining healthy body tissue enhances mental and cognitive performance, which in turn enhances the application of meditation or mindfulness techniques
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Meditation entails the ability to observe the mechanisms of one’s mind
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Mindfulness entails applying a more deliberate and ethical pattern of behavior in one’s daily life
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Prioritizing mental and cognitive health can also include fostering positive experiences such as the focus on gratitude and forgiveness practices, and acts of generosity
The reality of the brain having not only a physiological basis to its function, but also a psycho-emotional function, implies there is an additional direction of influence over its overall performance. As water, food, or circulation has a specific range of healthy exposure, the brain also requires a healthy range of cognitive and mental aspects of experience.
The cornerstone of maintaining mental health also includes using one’s attention and executive function more precisely and efficiently. Regular mindfulness and meditation practice has been extensively studied in its successful impact upon training one’s focus and mental habits toward increased quality of life. The techniques of meditation and mindfulness are essentially the same, except that mindfulness practice uses the principles of meditation in their application during daily life experience, instead of a structured or more formal practice. The most important aspect of mindfulness practice is to be scrupulous and intentional about how an individual uses their mind and attention. This includes being more deliberate about one’s quality of thoughts as well as apportioning attention to what is consistent with one’s goals and values

Neurofeedback Brain Training
These fundamental cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle are necessary in order to support a brain and improve its function. However, they may not be completely sufficient in either attaining optimal function especially in the presence of other cognitive and psychological obstacles such as ADHD or anxiety disorders. Training with neurofeedback is a non-pharmaceutical approach that has been clinically proven to support various circuits and sites of the brain.
Unlike conventional treatments, neurofeedback will give your brain the ability to function better and maintain that function long-term.
Schedule your Free Consultation today to find out how neurofeedback can BE your best asset.


FAQ
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How long is a session?
Each session is about 35 minutes long, which includes setup.
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How many sessions do you recommend per week
We suggest 3 sessions per week to optimize the training, but also offer packages with 2 sessions per week.
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How quickly can I expect to see improvements and changes?
Most clients begin to see noticeable, lasting changes within 20-30 sessions. The duration of training often depends on the severity and length of the issue. For example, a child that has suffered from ADHD for only 4 years of their life, may see progress quicker than an adult that’s had a cognitive performance or brain regulation challenge for many years. Still, it’s not uncommon for clients to begin to feel shifts and improvement within the first 5-10 sessions. Sometimes family and friends will notice changes in clients even before they notice themselves.
VISIT US
Our spacious and comfortable offices in North County offer a relaxing environment for receiving neurofeedback training.
538 Stevens Ave
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(760) 542-8319
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