A neurosurgeon emphasizes consistency, balance, and protection for brain health. Simple habits like disciplined sleep, early strength training, and mindful moments through meditation are crucial. Recognizing and refusing burnout, rather than pushing through exhaustion, is vital for maintaining a sharp and stable mind. These practices can significantly rebuild and improve overall well-being. Your brain may only weigh 2% of your total body weight, but this powerhouse organ controls everything. This mighty organ is in charge of your walk, talk, senses, memory, thinking, heart rate and emotions. So the key to good health is taking good care of your brain. How do you do it? By following some simple habits. In a video shared on Instagram, Dr Jay Jagannathan, a board-certified neurosurgeon trained at the NIH and the University of Virginia Medical Center, has shared some habits that will help you rebuild your brain health from zero. “After years in neurosurgery, I’ve learned this: your brain doesn’t need perfection — it needs consistency, balance and protection. And the biggest changes often come from the simplest habits,” the doctor said. What are these habits? Let’s take a look.
Disciplined sleep schedule
When his patients ask what truly matters for long-term brain resilience, the surgeon, specialised in cranial and spinal surgery, advises them to start with sleep discipline. The doctor recommends a real sleep schedule, not “whenever I can”. He stated that getting at least six to eight hours of sleep per night is really critical for brain health. “Even if it involves sleeping early if you’ve got an early day in the morning,” he added. A recent study from the Karolinska Institutet found that poor sleep can accelerate brain ageing. “The gap between brain age and chronological age widened by about six months for every 1-point decrease in healthy sleep score. People with poor sleep had brains that appeared, on average, one year older than their actual age,” Abigail Dove, a researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet, who led the study, said.
Early strength training
According to the doctor, strength training is crucial for brain health. “Early strength training to support long hours on your feet,” he said. As someone who spends hours in the OR, strength training is what keeps the surgeon thriving. “Being able to do low-grade resistance training for at least two to three days a week is extremely critical,” he said. While exercise in general is beneficial for health, resistance training in particular is linked with many benefits for the brain. A recent study from the State University of Campinas, Brazil, published in the journal GeroScience, found that weight training protects older people’s brains against dementia. “A characteristic of people with mild cognitive impairment is that they have volume loss in some brain regions associated with the development of Alzheimer’s. But in the group that did strength training, the right side of the hippocampus and precuneus was protected from atrophy. This result justifies the importance of regular weight training, especially for older people,” Isadora Ribeiro, a FAPESP doctoral fellowship recipient at UNICAMP’s School of Medical Sciences (FCM) and first author of the study, said.
Meditation
From work to daily chores, life can be chaotic, but the key is to take a moment to slow down. According to the neurosurgeon, daily moments to slow your mind–body system are crucial. This could be meditation, deep breathing, yoga or any practice that is focused on mindfulness. “Remember, there is a mind–body interface, and particularly in fields like surgery, where you’re on your feet and rely on that interaction between the brain and the body. Having that ability to connect via yoga or meditation is critical,” Dr Jagannathan said. A recent study by Mount Sinai Hospital researchers, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that meditation led to changes in activity in the amygdala and hippocampus, key brain regions involved in emotional regulation and memory. “We found that loving-kindness meditation is associated with changes in the strength and duration of certain types of brain waves called beta and gamma waves. These kinds of brain waves are affected in mood disorders like depression and anxiety, so the possibility of being able to willfully control these through meditation is pretty amazing, and may help explain the positive impact that these practices have on individuals,” Ignacio Saez, PhD, Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Neurosurgery and Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine and senior author of the paper, said.
Identify burnout
Burnout does not always show up in intense patterns. It can be silent and almost look like normal exhaustion. The doctor revealed that it is crucial to recognise burnout ‘before it owns you’.
Refuse the ‘no-hero lifestyle’
Remember, pushing through exhaustion is not heroic. Not overloading your brain isn’t really optional. The doctor noted that “refusing the ‘no-hero lifestyle’ of pushing through exhaustion” is crucial for better brain health. “Your brain is doing the hardest work you’ll never see. Treating it with respect isn’t optional — it’s how you stay sharp, stable and able to show up for your life,” the doctor added. These simple lifestyle changes can really help you rebuild your brain health before it’s too late. Over time, these habits can help you keep your brain healthier and thereby improve your overall health and wellbeing.Note: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment, or before changing your diet or supplement regimen.
