Did you make any resolutions this year? How many people really declare resolutions? And how many of us actually follow through? Northbrook-based Chicago Mind Solutions did some digging to answer these questions about the annual practice of declaring New Year’s resolutions.
And, here’s what we found. According to Statistic Brain Research, a recent study on resolutions by University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology finds among Americans polled:
· 45 percent confirmed they typically make resolutions.
· 38 percent indicated they absolutely never declare resolutions.
· 17 percent reported they infrequently declare resolutions.
In terms of resolution results, the study finds among Americans polled:
· 8 percent expressed they are successful in achieving their resolution.
· 49 percent reported they have infrequent success.
· 24 percent admitted they never succeed and fail on their resolution each year.
From self-improvement and weight loss to intentions of saving more money and improving relationships, the study suggests people who actually make resolutions are 10 times more likely to commit to their changes than those who just try and change.
Resolutions Solution: Make Your Brain Happy in 2018
Whether or not you made resolutions, Chicago Mind Solutions points out that many people overlook the most important aspect of successfully committing to any change: one’s brain health. That’s why the professionals at Chicago Mind Solutions recommend getting your brain to a “healthier frame of mind;” dedicating 2018 to taking extra care of your brain so you can improve your overall wellness, attitude and decision making.
Need some convincing? Two big reasons to dedicate 2018 to making your brain as healthy as possible are:
- First, your mind is what controls your desires, not your body.
- Second, what your brain wants is what you get—whether or not you’re thinking clearly.
Six Steps for a Healthier Frame of Mind
Chicago Mind Solutions recommends taking six key steps to help you think more clearly. Keep in mind, you should incorporate one new strategy at a time so you can feel the effects and adopt the strategies that are working.
First of all, you should ask your doctor to check to see if you have any food-related and/or environmental allergies when you get your annual health exam.
Second, follow a healthy diet to promote optimal brain functioning, which also means eliminating any foods for which you have sensitivities. Even though your brain is only 2 percent of total body volume, it absorbs 20 percent of food nutrients!
Eating a healthy diet means consuming a variety of whole foods, including raw vegetables (especially avocados) and fruits (especially blue berries), legumes, lean protein, healthy fats, and nuts (especially walnuts), and avoiding genetically modified and overly processed foods.
The third step is to complement a healthy diet with supplementation specific to brain health. In fact, Chicago Mind Solutions suggests taking a daily dosage of high quality Omega 3 fatty acid (fish oil) and a probiotic supplement.
“It is important to eat high quality probiotic foods or to take a probiotic supplement every day because your gut-microbe functions are directly linked to your cognitive functioning. So, if your gut-microbe health is not optimal, then your brain is not receiving the nutrients it requires to process at its most efficient capacity” explains Robert Kauffman MSW, neurofeedback specialist, Chicago Mind Solutions.
If your sinuses are stuffy and inflamed, your brain isn’t receiving enough oxygen, which means you’re not going to focus well or have an abundance of energy. Therefore, the fourth step is to clean up your living environment of irritating allergens. Undoubtedly, it can quite tedious when it comes to ridding your house of allergens; special considerations include:
- If you are allergic to dust or dust mites, be sure to wash your bedding weekly in hot water; and use hypoallergenic pillow and mattress covers.
- Dust and vacuum the entire living environment a minimum of twice a week.
- Always use a hypo allergenic air filter in the furnace. Likewise, use a HEPA air purifier to clean the air before can you breathe in any irritating allergens.
- Eliminate any mold and mildew in bathroom; keep showers and tubs dry after each use.
The fifth strategy Chicago Mind Solutions recommends to boost brain health is engaging or exercising the brain. Daily use of a favorite brain teasing app and challenging puzzles (i.e. Sudoku or Quizzles) will exercise the frontal lobe of your brain and give you and your brain a competitive edge.
Last but not least, it’s important to get at least 8 hours of sleep for optimal brain health. In order to sleep a solid 8 hours, Chicago Mind Solutions’ sixth strategy is developing and following a good sleep-hygiene routine.
Since your brain needs help “turning down” as well, it’s important to implement an effective sleep-hygiene routine. For example, at least one hour before going to bed, turning off all screens—TV, computer, tablets, or mobile phone—and using dim lighting will give your brain a chance to wind down so you can fall asleep more quickly. Following relaxation rituals, such as reading, listening to soothing sounds like rain and ocean via cd or app, stretching, meditating, and journaling before retiring to bed, may also be helpful suggestions to try as you figure out your best sleep-hygiene routine.
As you begin to feel better and better over time, you will find yourself even more motivated to follow through, which will, in turn, increase your odds of successfully accomplishing your resolutions in 2018.
For more information about non-invasive ways to improve your cognitive functioning, visit ChicagoMindSolutions.com.
About Chicago Mind Solutions
Based in Northbrook, Illinois, the licensed specialists at Chicago Mind Solutions work with children and adults to overcome symptoms and concerns related to dysfunctions in the brain with the help of neurofeedback therapy. A non-evasive approach to improving neuroplasticity, Chicago Mind Solutions is one of a select number of neurofeedback providers in the US offering its patients’ access to Brain Avatar by Brainmaster Technology. This advanced technology gives patients the opportunity to view in real-time the entire process of enhancing the brain’s neuroplasticity as a three-dimensional image. For more information about Chicago Mind Solutions, visit ChicagoMindSolutions.com.
