What your brain needs

Just 10 minutes of sedentary behavior can compromise the delivery of nutrients to your brain. Yikes!! I certainly understand it might take you more than 10 minutes to finish a strategy meeting with coworkers or write your client invoices.Did you know your brain functions more efficiently when you are moving? Healthy aging expert Terry Eckman, PhD, says  your brain needs two key things to function: oxygen and glucose. Moving your body allows the oxygen to travel to the brain, and it stimulates the brain, causing it to release glucose.

So what can you do?

Think about how you can incorporate movement into your every day activities. Suggest walking meetings. Set up a standing desk so you can alternate between sitting and standing. Pace your office as you talk on the phone. Walk the stairs in the office. Park your car far away from your office door.

Don’t be a couch potato when you get home. When you watch your favorite show, let the commercials run and do sit ups or push ups. If you have laundry in your basement, good for you! Do a load each night so you move up and down the steps. Walk to your neighbor’s house for a chat, or walk to the end of the street to get a look at the sunset. You get the idea. Be creative and you’ll soon find loads of opportunities to move throughout the day.

Who knows.  Maybe you’ll come up with a brilliant idea to solve that problem you’ve been noodling about.