12 Things Your Brain Wants You To say

Be mentally sharper for longer with this advice.

- Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

1 I’ll walk, thanks

Or run, dance, climb stairs – or just keep moving. Regular exercise stimulates the brain’s oxygen supply, nourishing nerve cells and dilating arteries, which can protect against strokes and dementia. It also produces feel-good endorphins to boost our mood.

2 Fancy a cuppa?

Caffeine wakes our brains up but too much can make us jittery, and it may protect against dementia. Sharing a cuppa can also be sociable and lower stress. Drinking water refreshes dehydrated brain function.

3 I’m having an early night

Getting less sleep than we need slows thinking, affects memory, lowers mood and can cause accidents while driving or operating machinery. Firming up memories also requires several hours of ‘deep’ sleep. Longer-term, poor sleep can lead to brain-harming obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. So make sure you get enough. For advice, visit nhs.uk/livewell/sleep.

4 Mind my head