You may have set a New Year's resolution to exercise more and get in shape, which is awesome, but when you're not hitting the gym trying to get your body right, how about doing some exercises to get your brain right?
Unfortunately, a new study has found that Texans in particular are among the worst states in the nation for taking care of our brains.
Life Extension looked to rank all 50 states for "good brain health" based on a variety of metrics, and through their studies found that Texas ranked 43rd in the U.S. for brain health.
The metrics included (and where Texas ranked across the nation):
Adults who exercise: 73.7% (#44) Adults who eat fruit and vegetables every day: 67.6% (#40) Adults who don't get enough sleep: 35.1% (#28) Meditation interest score: 43 (#38) Adults who read literature: 35.5% (#43) Babies breastfed at 12 months: 36.9% (#27) Children 5 or younger whose parents read to them every day: 25% (#51)
Dr. Donna Newsome, a neurologist with Texas Health Presbyterian Plano, gave some advice to help improve your brain health going into 2024:
I think a lot of us have to also remember that we have to stop sometimes and take care of ourselves. It is okay to say no to people when they ask you to do certain things. It's okay to stop and say, you know, I need to take a walk around the block. I need to go and get a massage. I need to go just hang out with friends. Something like that, to decompress yourself.
In America, in the Western society, we're always go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Whereas you go into other societies, a lot of times you don't necessarily see that. You know when to stop and to take a break. We need to learn that more over here. I think in the Western society that we need to say I need to take some self-time, some self-care for myself.
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