The Best Ways to Improve Your Neurological Health

Muscles, nerves, and brain cells—they’re all interconnected to keep you functioning optimally. However, if you have neurological issues like depression, anxiety, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), your nervous system can feel overstimulated.

David Schick, a neurologist who for over 11 has been treating patients suffering from a number of mental disorders, shares that there are activities that are proven to improve your neurological health.

So what are these activities? They work by focusing on the three aspects of your neurological health: physical fitness, stress management, and mental stimulation. Let’s explore how you can incorporate them into your everyday life to start seeing results today.

Keep Moving

You’ve heard it before: If you don’t use it, you lose it. Your nervous system relies heavily on movement and physical activity to keep it functioning at its peak. You’re probably already doing plenty of things that keep your nervous system in good shape, like walking, running, or yoga. However, if you’re not pushing yourself as much as you used to, that can cause a nervous system overload. That can cause issues like anxiety, depression, and symptoms of ADHD.

To keep moving, David Schick suggests mixing in some of these exercises to challenge yourself and keep your nervous system healthy:

Swimming - The water keeps your muscles active and is low-impact, making it a great way to ease into activity.

Cycling - It’s low impact and low-risk so you can ease back into exercise.

Hiking - Hiking is great because it provides a mix of cardio and strength training.

Learn a New Skill

Everyone knows the benefits of learning a new skill, but how often do you pick one up? You can use any skill to improve your neurological health, like yoga, tai chi, or knitting. While you don’t need to dive into an expensive therapy program to reap these benefits, you can find ways to incorporate them into your daily life. For example, you can use yoga to ease back pain or tai chi to manage stress and anxiety.

“Not only will you feel less anxious and in better physical condition, but you’ll also be building up your brain cells and strengthening your nervous system,” says David Schick.

Practice Stress management

Cognition is key to understanding and managing your stress. But when your nervous system is overstimulated, your prefrontal cortex (PFC) gets overwhelmed. That’s when you experience “cognitive stress,” which can lead to anxiety, mood issues, and even diminished mental function. Cognitive stress is a real thing and can be reduced through practices like meditation, mindfulness, and yoga.

“These practices have been shown to reduce cognitive stress by reducing your stress hormone levels,” indicates David Schick who chooses the most appropriate therapeutic approaches for each individual patient.

Meditation and mindfulness aim to calm your mind by reducing your stress hormone levels, and breathing exercises aim to reduce your stress hormone levels.

Take a Break from Mental Workout

If you’re constantly searching for ways to stimulate your brain, you’re going to become overstimulated, and your nervous system will feel it. The best way to ease back into a healthy nervous system is to take a break from mental workout. That could mean taking a week off from journaling or doing some online research. It could also mean taking yourself out to dinner with a friend or scheduling some social time with your family or partner. The goal here isn’t to add to your stress levels or add to your plate, but to reduce them.

Conclusion

David Schick has extensive knowledge of the methods used to diagnose mental health disorders. Depending on the patient's needs, he selects the most appropriate therapies.

David Schick is a licensed neurologist by the state board of New York and is affiliated with a number of hospitals. Mount Sinai Beth Israel / Petrie Campus, and NYU Hospitals Center are among them.

Contact David Schick today on Twitter. He will be glad to help you manage the mental disorder you are suffering from.