BRAIN HEALTH

“I’m a neuroscientist – these are the 5 things I do every morning for better brain health” by Lauren Geall

A good morning routine can set your day off on the right foot, especially when it incorporates healthy habits. And that’s particularly important when it comes to the brain. How you wake up and start the day can influence your cognitive function for the rest of the day. So, to give you the tools you need to start your day off on a brain-friendly footing, we asked a neuroscientist to share five key things they do every morning to support their brain.

Because the brain is such a complex organ, it’s easy to assume that taking care of it requires some kind of jargon-filled, complicated approach. But while experts may still not fully understand some of its inner workings, there’s been plenty of research into what it takes to keep the brain happy and healthy – and surprisingly, it isn’t rocket science.

The idea of some miracle supplement or biohacking intervention to keep your brain eternally young might sound appealing, but it’s the mundane, everyday habits that can make a real difference to the brain’s ability to function in both the short and long term. We can’t stop our brains from ageing, but we can give them the support they need to function well for longer.  
To find out more about the simple habits you can introduce to your routine to support your brain health, we asked Dr Caitlin Hall, a neuroscientist, registered dietitian and head researcher at the gut health brand Myota, to share the morning routine she swears by for keeping her brain in good shape. Here’s what she had to say.  

1. START THE DAY WITH A BIG GLASS OF WATER
Between her alarm going off and heading outside for some morning sunlight exposure (more on that later), Dr Hall says there’s one healthy habit she never skips: drinking a big glass of water.
“Overnight, as we sleep, we can become dehydrated, and we know that dehydration is strongly linked to aspects of our brain health like cognitive function, memory and alertness,” she explains. “So, the first thing I consume in the day is a massive glass of water.”
This is particularly important during autumn and winter because you might not realise how much you’re sweating during your sleep. Although we may not have hot outside temperatures to deal with, thicker duvets, cosy pyjamas and central heating can all lead to nighttime sweating.

2. USE A DAYLIGHT ALARM CLOCK AND GET OUTSIDE STRAIGHT AWAY
Using an alarm with a violent beeping sound might be an effective way to wake yourself up, but it’s not the kind of start to the morning that Dr Hall opts for. Instead, she uses a Lumie daylight alarm clock with nature sounds to gradually wake herself up, before heading outside.
“While a daylight alarm clock isn’t a substitute for natural light, it helps me to wake up more naturally in the darker, winter months. Then, within 30–60 minutes of waking up, I aim to get outdoors for some natural light; even on overcast days, the intensity of the light is so much higher outdoors compared to simply a well-lit room, so I’ll head out for a walk with my dog.”

This kind of natural light exposure is important for your brain, Dr Hall explains, because it helps to regulate the production of melatonin and cortisol, which can have a knock-on effect on your cognitive function. “Exposure to bright light in the morning helps to suppress production of the sleep hormone melatonin, so it signals to your body that it’s time to be awake and alert,” she says. “The morning sunlight exposure also stimulates the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps to boost your energy levels and improve focus throughout the day.”

Indeed, while cortisol often gets a bad rap (having too much of the stuff can lead to all the pesky symptoms of stress) we need some cortisol to function well. Getting outside in the morning is a great way to kickstart its production, which in turn will also help to regulate your internal body clock, or circadian rhythm. So basically, it’s a win-win situation.   

3. ENJOY A COFFEE, BUT NOT STRAIGHT AWAY
While morning caffeine isn’t for everyone, most of us enjoy at least one caffeinated beverage at some point in the morning, and Dr Hall is no different. In moderation, caffeine consumption can be good for our brain health – it can improve alertness, memory and mood and even reduce your risk of long-term brain conditions like Alzheimer’s. It also tastes great and can have a positive impact on our gut health in multiple ways.

That latter point shouldn’t be underestimated, Dr Hall says. “I love having coffee in the morning because it helps to stimulate the natural contractions of the gut known as the migrating motor complex, or MMC for short,” she explains. “It’s why people often find they go to the toilet soon after having a coffee – it’s really great for getting the gut moving. And that can be particularly beneficial for anyone who suffers from constipation or whose bowel is a little sluggish.”

All of this has a knock-on effect on brain health because regular bowel movements have a positive impact on the gut microbiome, which is important for the gut-brain axis (the network of nerves that connect the brain and the gut and allow the two to influence each other). In fact, studies have established a link between constipation and poorer cognitive function.
Dr Hall warns against drinking coffee as soon as you wake up, however. “I generally wait about 30–60 minutes after waking to have my first caffeine hit – usually when I get home from my walk,” she says. “By waiting until after that natural light exposure, I allow my cortisol levels to rise naturally before the caffeine interferes with that process.”

4. PACK YOUR BREAKFAST FULL OF SEEDS, NUTS AND ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FRUIT
While some people find that fasting helps to promote concentration and boost cognitive function, Dr Hall doesn’t recommend skipping breakfast. “Fasting doesn’t provide those benefits for me, and I don’t think it’s particularly helpful for women in general,” she says. “It’s why I don’t often recommend fasting as a strategy, because it can lead to things like brain fog and overeating later in the day, and eating breakfast can be beneficial for women’s hormones.”
When it comes to the type of foods that Dr Hall reaches for at breakfast time, she says she’s pretty consistent. Her go-to breakfast isn’t just full of brain-friendly nutrients – it also prioritises foods that are good for gut health to ensure healthy functioning of the gut-brain axis.

“I tend to have full-fat Greek yoghurt with some Myota (a prebiotic fibre blend), flax seeds, protein powder, chia seeds, maca powder, frozen blueberries – which have amazing amounts of antioxidants – and some homemade roasted pecan muesli,” she explains. “I also have two omega-3 fatty acid supplements, which, combined with the flax seeds and chia seeds, deliver healthy fats that are critical for brain health.”
She continues: “One of the most important things is the fibre content in this meal, through the pecan muesli, blueberries and fibre powder. Prebiotic fibre in particular is important for looking after the health of your gut bacteria, which produce an anti-inflammatory substance called butyrate. This substance plays an important role in the gut-brain connection, as it communicates with the vagus nerve – the major nerve that connects the two organs.”  

5. SCHEDULE IN TIME TO THINK THROUGHOUT THE DAY  
As soon as you sit down at your desk and start working, it’s easy to get carried away and forget to take regular breaks – something we know is important for brain health. To counteract this, Dr Hall schedules her breaks ahead of time and makes sure to pop reminders on her desk.

“Sometimes something as simple as having a glass or bottle of water on my desk reminds me to get up every hour or so to refill the bottle, have a drink and move my body,” she says. “I also always make sure I have time in my schedule to go on at least a 15-minute walk at lunchtime – not only does it give me more natural light exposure, but it also helps to relieve stress and improve my problem-solving abilities by the time I get back to my desk.”

Having regular breaks also works in tune with your brain’s ultradian rhythm, which sees it fluctuate through 90-minute periods of wakefulness (during which time the brain is activated and better able to focus), followed by 20 minutes of downtime. It’s for this reason that some productivity experts recommend working in a 90/20 rhythm, as it helps you to get the best out of your brain and avoid the negative impact of mental fatigue on your cognitive function.