How does a healthy body contribute to a healthy brain? What do your social life and spiritual beliefs have to do with your brain health?
According to Dr. Amen, brain health plans require a holistic approach that addresses biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. He explains that these four tiers interdependently influence your overall health—and, by extension, your brain health and function.
Read more to learn about Dr. Amen’s four-tiered approach to brain health.
Dr. Amen on Brain Health
Leveraging 30 years of patient experience, psychiatrist and brain health expert Daniel G. Amen offers a new, more effective approach to treating and overcoming physical, mental, and cognitive issues. According to Dr. Amen, brain health calls for holistic prevention and treatment because of the connection among biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors. For example, lack of sleep (biological) can alter your brain chemistry and cause anxiety (psychological), leading to social withdrawal (social) and a diminished sense of purpose (spiritual).
(Shortform note: Dr. Amen’s treatment philosophy resonates with the biopsychosocial model, a holistic approach introduced by psychiatrist George Engel in the 1970s. This model counters the traditional biomedical perspective by emphasizing that biological, psychological, and social factors are equally important when assessing and treating patients. What sets Dr. Amen’s approach apart is his addition of a spiritual aspect to this model. While health care professionals often overlook spirituality in care, research suggests that having a strong belief system or a sense of higher purpose can significantly bolster mental health.)
Dr. Amen suggests that, even without a SPECT scan and targeted treatment for your brain’s particular issues, you can still substantially improve your brain health by nurturing these four tiers. Let’s explore his advice in detail.
Tier #1: Biological Health
The first factor influencing your brain’s health is your biological health, encompassing your overall physical condition. Dr. Amen provides four suggestions for enhancing your biological health and explains how each benefits your brain.
1) Nourish your body: Consume a well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants to promote efficient communication between brain cells and to balance neurotransmitter levels.
(Shortform note: Experts agree with Dr. Amen’s recommendations for a well-balanced diet. They emphasize the importance of healthy fats in particular, noting that omega-3 fatty acids are linked to a lower risk of certain degenerative brain diseases. Additionally, studies show a link between fiber deficiency and cognitive impairment as well, so a brain-supporting diet should also include fiber.)
2) Elevate your activity level: Dr. Amen recommends regular exercise, including aerobic and strength training, to increase blood flow to the brain and stimulate the growth of new brain cells.
(Shortform note: An added benefit of exercise is that it increases oxygen flow to the brain—even more so when you breathe through your nose. James Nestor (Breath) explains that nasal breathing increases oxygen flow to the brain more effectively than mouth breathing. This is because the nose and sinuses are specifically designed to filter and condition the air, making it easier for your lungs to extract oxygen from it.)
3) Prioritize quality sleep: Dr. Amen says that ensuring you get sufficient, high-quality sleep facilitates essential brain maintenance activities that require deeper stages of sleep—such as memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and the removal of waste products from your brain.
(Shortform note: Other experts provide more detailed advice on facilitating brain maintenance while you sleep. Neuroscientist Tara Swart (The Source) clarifies that getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night helps your brain cleanse itself of toxins that interfere with its functioning, and that sleeping on your side is best for facilitating your brain’s natural detoxifying process. Others specify that sleeping on your left side is most conducive to cleansing your brain because it increases your circulation and lets your stomach rest below your esophagus, which, as an added benefit, improves your digestion and reduces heartburn.)
4) Safeguard against threats: Dr. Amen advises you to remain vigilant to potential threats like physical trauma (for example, a blow to the head), exposure to toxins (such as lead in paint or pesticides), illness, or infections, all of which can harm your physical well-being and your brain’s health.
(Shortform note: Dr. Amen’s advice focuses on known threats to brain health—for example, he suggests wearing a helmet when cycling or checking labels for known toxins in products. Neurologist David Perlmutter expands on this advice, emphasizing the importance of recognizing hidden toxins that may not immediately seem harmful but can damage your brain over time. These can include elements in your diet, such as processed foods and artificial sweeteners, or environmental factors like air pollution.)
Tier #2: Psychological Well-Being
The second factor influencing your brain’s health is your psychological well-being, encompassing your thought patterns, self-perception, and self-esteem. Dr. Amen suggests three tips for nurturing your psychological health and describes how each improves your brain function.
1) Exercise your mind: Challenge your brain with intellectually stimulating activities such as chess and card games to promote the growth of new brain cells and preserve cognitive function.
2) Manage stress effectively: Dr. Amen advises developing a stress-management program that includes mindfulness techniques, deep breathing exercises, and journaling. This prevents chronic stress from harming your brain cells.
3) Seek mental health support: Consult qualified mental health professionals to address and manage mental health concerns such as anxiety from past traumas. Getting a handle on these issues helps maintain your capacity for rational thinking.
Tier #3: Social Interactions
The third factor influencing your brain’s health is your social interactions, encompassing the relationships, communication, and connections you have with others. Dr. Amen suggests that nurturing relationships with friends, family, and peers helps your brain stay active and engaged, reduces stress, and provides emotional support, all of which are crucial for brain health.
Dr. Amen adds that your brain will benefit even more if you build relationships with individuals who prioritize wellness, as their habits and support can positively influence your lifestyle.
Tier #4: Spiritual Fulfillment
The fourth factor influencing your brain’s health is your spiritual fulfillment, encompassing your sense of life’s purpose and meaning. Dr. Amen identifies two methods for tending to your spiritual fulfillment and outlines how each positively affects your brain.
1) Contemplate profound questions: Reflect on your values, beliefs, and connections to the world. This practice stimulates neural pathways (information-transmitting networks in your brain) related to self-awareness and emotional well-being, contributing to optimal brain health.
2) Engage in spiritual activities: Dr. Amen recommends practices such as meditation, prayer, or volunteer work to foster rational thinking and mental flexibility. These activities help to relieve stress and broaden your perspective on life, countering the impact of ruminative thoughts that might otherwise entangle you in self-defeating patterns.
Exercise: How Will You Enhance Your Brain’s Health?
Dr. Amen suggests that nurturing four tiers—biological health, psychological well-being, social interactions, and spiritual fulfillment—can significantly enhance your brain’s health. In this exercise, consider how you might implement his advice.
- Consider the four tiers that contribute to your brain’s health. Which one of these tiers are you currently paying the least attention to? (For example, you might regularly focus on your biological, psychological, and spiritual health but neglect your social life.)
- Think about Dr. Amen’s methods for nurturing the tier you identified. What one method can you immediately adopt? (For example, you might arrange to have lunch with a friend.)
- Which of Dr. Amen’s methods for nurturing this tier might be the most difficult to adopt? Explain the difficulties you anticipate. (For example, you might find it challenging to engage in group activities due to a busy schedule or social anxiety.)
- Which of Dr. Amen’s methods for nurturing this tier do you plan on adopting over the long term, and how will you incorporate them into your life?
