12 Science-Backed Ways to Improve Your Mind and Body This Holiday Season

As the year draws to a close, it is all too easy to slip into survival mode. Late nights, rich meals and travel can put pressure on both body and brain. Rather than waiting for the post-holiday lull, however, you can make an investment in yourself – quite literally.

Here are 12 science-backed ways to improve your mind and body this holiday season. They may sharpen brainpower, support your health and help you stay energised well into the new year.

Brain-boosting activities and food

1. Dance lessons. Learning dance routines is a complex physical pursuit that combines coordination, memory and strategy. Research indicates that such activities can slow brain ageing and build cognitive reserve. New findings underline that combining aerobic exercise with mental stimulation is among the most effective ways to safeguard your brain.

2. A bike. Brief, demanding cycling sessions – a form of high-intensity interval training – may produce a cognitive lift that lasts for several years. Research also associates regular cycling with a 40 percent reduced risk of early-onset dementia, providing an excellent reason to get pedalling.

3. Lentils. They may not be the flashiest addition to your shopping list, but your future self may appreciate them. Pulses and grains including lentils, quinoa, brown rice and oats are associated with longer telomeres, and could add up to 10 years to your life expectancy.

4. A trivia game. Keen to put your brainpower through its paces? Our friends at Veritasium are creating a tabletop game that asks you to think like a scientist: weigh the evidence, assess your confidence and test what you know. Winning could even suggest that your brain is wired for efficiency.

Gut health, reflection and better sleep

5. A prebiotic fibre supplement. A daily prebiotic supplement such as inulin appears to improve brain function in older adults. These fibre-rich compounds nourish the gut’s ‘good’ bacteria, which then support a healthier brain as it ages. Bananas, onions and garlic are natural sources, and they are different from the probiotics in fermented foods such as yoghurt or kimchi.

6. A journal. If you have overindulged and want to ease the feared “hangxiety”, journalling may help. Alongside rehydration and rest, studies indicate that writing when you wake up can put feelings into perspective and encourage self-compassion.

7. Blue-light-blocking glasses. Looking at your phone in bed, particularly during the hour before sleep, can significantly interfere with your natural sleep cycle. Research found that wearing blue-light glasses in the evening increased melatonin levels by 58 percent and led to longer, higher-quality sleep.

8. A yoga mat. Yoga is widely recognised for its anxiety-relieving effects, but research also suggests it may be the most effective form of exercise for improving sleep quality.

Supplements, light therapy and movement

9. An omega-3 supplement. Keep calm and try omega-3! These fatty acids, found in fish oil, sardines, salmon and algae, can lessen feelings of aggression and may help protect brain health. Emerging research suggests that they may even affect women’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s.

10. Red-light-therapy glasses. Research indicates that a brief daily exposure to deep red light (670 nm) may recharge the retina’s energy system, or mitochondria. This can result in a significant improvement in worsening eyesight among people over 40.

11. Walking shoes. Evidence suggests that even moderate physical activity may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. One recent study found that taking 5,000 to 7,500 steps a day was associated with less cognitive decline.

12. A Spark subscription: the gift of science all year round. If this list has been useful and you would like weekly, science-backed health news, join ScienceAlert’s free newsletter community. It will help you keep up with the latest health developments throughout the year.

Register before 11 December to be automatically entered into our sweepstakes for the chance to Win a 5-Day Vacation to Florida’s Space Coast.

This experience-based prize is intended to enhance your physical and mental vitality. You will take part in Astronaut Training at Kennedy Space Center, eat at EPCOT’s Space 2020 restaurant and join a bioluminescent night kayaking tour – a captivating way to immerse yourself in nature.