Your nervous system is the main control system for your body. While your brain runs things, any of the signals it sends have to travel through your nerves to reach muscles, tendons, and joints. Without a healthy central and peripheral nervous system, you may feel like you can’t keep your balance, are unable to sleep well, or even can’t regulate your emotions well. By following the following three tips, you can help support your nervous system and safeguard your overall health.
Have a Regular Exercise Routine
The first way to support your nervous system is by having a regular exercise routine. It’s no secret that staying fit is beneficial to your overall health, but working out has a marked effect on your nerves, both in your brain and throughout your body. The first way exercise improves your nervous system is by encouraging the formation of more neurons. When it comes to your nerves, your body needs spontaneity. While it’s nice to stay in a routine that never changes, switching things up and trying a new activity or sport can help you form new neural connections, thereby strengthening your nervous system.
The second way working out helps your nervous system is by strengthening the muscles and ligaments surrounding the nerves. While there are smaller nerves in every area of your body, your CNS, or central nervous system, consists of your spinal cord and brain. This part of the nervous system is crucial to your health; by strengthening the muscles around your back and neck, you can reduce accidents resulting in spinal cord injury or potential brain damage. While these issues aren’t always preventable in cases of car wrecks or freak accidents, exercising regularly can limit your risk of injury from everyday tasks.
Evaluate Your Nutritional Needs
The next way to support your nervous system is by evaluating your nutritional needs. Just like any other system in your body, your nerves need fuel to function. Without sufficient caloric intake or even the wrong types of food, your body won’t be able to reach its full potential. Individual neurons may not be able to form connections with others, even with external stimuli, leaving you feeling foggy and unfocused. Rather than leaving your nervous system’s health up to chance, make sure you’re eating the proper foods to fuel your body.
So what types of food should you eat to boost healthy nerves? The main group of food that supports nerve function is green leafy vegetables. Spinach and kale are both high in B vitamins, which help to regenerate damaged neurons. When a nerve dies or connections are broken, your body needs B vitamins to replace it. Broccoli and spinach are high in an antioxidant called alpha-lipoic acid, which helps to prevent damage to your nerves. While you don’t have to live on salad all the time, try to include these leafy greens in your meals if you want a boost to your nervous system.
Get Proper Amounts of Rest
Finally, getting the proper amount of rest will help you protect your nervous system. There are multiple ways in which sleep helps your body, but two main ones. First, your brain stays active when you’re resting. It’s easy to think that everything shuts down when you’re asleep, but your mind is still very busy when your body is shut down. Mainly, your brain is directing other body systems to restore and repair damaged tissues, such as a minor scrape you got at work.
Second, your parasympathetic nervous system helps to relax your body. These nerves are the ones that maintain things like digestion and panic responses, so sleep gives them a chance to reset. When this specific group of nerves resets, you get the feeling of relaxation and mental restoration. Waking up refreshed happens when your parasympathetic nervous system gets to take a break. As such, it’s vital to get enough sleep, otherwise, these nerves will be overworked and you’ll feel run-ragged.
Overall, it’s crucial to protect your nervous system. With these tips, you can improve your neurological health from home.