Tag Archive for: mental health
Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General published an advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. This advisory was based on decades of research on the impact of social connection on mental and physical health and brought nationwide awareness to the importance of creating and maintaining relationships for a long, healthy life.
“Most of us recognize that exercise and healthy eating are important for our longevity; however, if you’re doing those things by yourself, you’re missing out on the benefits of another pillar of health—social health,” says Steven Crane, MS, research scholar and head of Social Engagement pillar of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. “Strong relationships are the bedrock of our well-being, and they are just as important for our health as going to the gym or eating healthy food.”
Social health refers to the quality of our relationships and how often we interact with others. Since social connection is in our nature as humans, when we are isolated and feel a lack of connection, research shows that our mental health can be affected. For example, we can experience a myriad of negative emotional states such as loneliness, depression, anxiety, or anger when the quality of our social health is poor, sometimes leading to substance abuse and addiction.
Mental health and well-being are not the only aspects affected. Research also shows that our social health profoundly impacts our physical health.
The Impact of Loneliness on Physical Health
Loneliness and social isolation have a significant impact on health and mortality. For example, research shows loneliness increases the risk of heart disease by 29 percent, dementia by 50 percent, depression by 77 percent, premature mortality by 29 percent, and diabetes by 49 percent.
Crane explains that social health impacts our physical health in two ways. First, loneliness itself is a stressor. Since early humans evolved to be interdependent and rely on each other, they often did not survive when they were isolated. Therefore, when we feel as though we don’t belong, it can feel like a threat to our survival.
“Due to our evolution, humans have a drive to connect and seek out relationships. So, just like other drives linked to survival, such as hunger or thirst, loneliness signals that something is wrong, and we need to change our behavior to address it as soon as possible,” says Crane. “And just like these other survival-based stressors, when loneliness becomes chronic, cortisol levels stay elevated and thus increase the risk of heart disease, hyperglycemia, metabolic disorders, and other illnesses that are consequences of any chronically elevated stress situation.”
Secondly, there are a lot of stressors in our daily lives, and Crane says we can better handle them when we have the support of close, caring relationships. During challenging times, a few close friends can listen while we talk through our problems and offer guidance around possible solutions.
Social Health Obstacles and How to Overcome Them
Various factors prevent us from prioritizing our social health. From being overly busy with work and family obligations to being an introvert with a fear of rejection, there are many reasons why we don’t pick up the phone and reach out.
Here are three obstacles to social connection:
1) Fear of social situations
When people experience recurring feelings of exclusion and loneliness, they perceive social threats more severely than people who don’t feel as lonely.
“There’s a vicious cycle that happens when people feel lonely. People become more afraid of social situations and then become more likely to avoid them, which makes them lonelier,” says Crane. “This downward spiral can lead to chronic loneliness and isolation.”
To overcome the fear of social situations, Crane recommends exploring cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to work on social cognitions. This work can help people overcome fear of rejection or anticipatory anxiety about social events. “One of the most effective treatments for chronic loneliness is CBT because it can help re-write the scripts we tell ourselves that keep us from engaging in relationships,” he says.
2) Busyness
Amidst our busy schedules, many people let their friendships languish and aren’t proactive about keeping them strong. Even if they want to, it may seem too difficult when other items on the to-do list, such as family or work obligations, take higher priority.
“In the U.S., people work more than most other countries where social health is better. With more widespread adoption of remote or hybrid workplaces, it’s been harder to create meaningful relationships at work.” says Crane. “I’m currently working with a nonprofit called Sunny to help make workplaces more of a socially connected environment where we can fulfill our social health right there in the workplace—where we spend thousands of hours each year.”
Crane says the best way to overcome this obstacle of busyness is to make social connection an equal priority to our other healthy behaviors, such as getting good sleep, exercising, and eating nutritious meals. He recommends we build healthy habits to connect, like scheduling routine monthly gatherings with your local friends, weekly calls with your important relatives, and a daily text to somebody you appreciate.
3) Technology
We have never had so much digital entertainment so easily at hand as we do today. Videos, games, and infinite social media feeds are so compelling in the moment that most of us spend far more time on our devices than we want to. Indeed, the sophisticated algorithms that drive what appears next are optimized for prolonged engagement. To help with this, Crane and collaborators at the Stanford Behavior Design Lab developed Screentime Genie.
Without boundaries and strategies to manage our device use, we often retreat to digital entertainment to bypass the activation energy of social engagement or the friction and difficulty that real-life relationships inevitably entail. Crane is concerned that many young people are not learning the skill of navigating conflict, which is essential to strengthening relationships.
“The moment there is discomfort in a social situation, like breaking the ice with new people at a party, many young people escape into their phones instead. But difficulty is part of all human relationships, so we shouldn’t be afraid of engaging with it, and it’s important to be able to work through our differences in order to feel more connected,” says Crane. “A TikTok feed is never going to challenge you, but it also won’t give you the rewards of a fulfilling, authentic relationship.”
By Yasaman Nourkhalaj and Sharon Brock, MEd, MS
Research has shown that social isolation not only negatively impacts our mental health but can also take a toll on our physical health. This association has piqued the attention of healthcare professionals, leading some to participate in social prescribing. Social prescribing is the act of healthcare professionals recommending that their patients put effort into engaging in more social activities, such as reaching out to family members for phone calls, striking up conversations with neighbors, or making coffee dates with friends.
Stanford Medicine psychiatrist Douglas Noordsy, MD, founder of the Stanford Lifestyle Psychiatry Clinic, often recommends social activities to his patients to improve their mental health.
“I take a collaborative approach when working with patients in the lifestyle psychiatry clinic. I educate them on the health benefits of social activities and help them choose which social activities they are motivated to engage in. It’s a shared decision-making process,” says Dr. Noordsy, Stanford Professor of Psychiatry and head of the Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Cognitive Enhancement pillar.
How Do Social Activities Improve Health?
Social connection can improve one’s overall health, well-being, and longevity. This study showed that in those with depression frequent participation in social activities improved metabolic and brain health. A cross-sectional observational study used surveys from people aged 65 and over from 16 different countries to investigate the impact of social connection through hobby engagement. The results showed a reduction in morbidity and healthcare burden, with higher life satisfaction for participants who engaged in their hobby in groups. Researchers from another study expressed how the lack of social connection can be more detrimental to health than common conditions like obesity and high blood pressure.
At the neurological level, there is evidence that experiencing positive social connections releases “feel-good” hormones in the brain, such as oxytocin and dopamine. We also know that physical exercise increases dopamine levels. So, Dr. Noordsy often recommends that his patients improve their health and well-being in a time-efficient way by engaging in physical activity that is also a social activity, such as participating in a team sport or going on a daily walk with a neighbor.
Examples of Social Prescriptions
- A patient with self-doubt or discouraging thoughts may be experiencing some level of depression, which can become more detrimental with isolation. In this case, Dr. Noordsy recommends the patient make an effort to reach out and spend quality time with family and friends.
- A person taking care of their elderly parents at home and isolating themselves from the rest of their community would be advised to go to a coffee shop three times a week to be around a variety of people.
- A remote worker who feels anxious from too much alone time is recommended to work in a public place by going to a café or a shared workspace a couple of times a week.
- Someone who is shy and struggles with communication would be advised to join a local hiking group where communication can happen while walking side by side. This prescription not only promotes social connection, but also physical exercise.
“Each patient is different. During a careful initial assessment with each patient, I assess their current lifestyle behaviors and figure out how to best integrate new lifestyle practices (such as social prescribing) into their lives. I assess which behaviors are problematic for their mental health and which behaviors might be beneficial for this specific individual,” says Dr. Noordsy. “The most important thing about social recommendations is making sure they are tailored to the individual. A person is more likely to engage in social activities of their choosing, and over time, we can track behavior changes and optimize their outcomes.”
By Tanya Thakur, MBBS and Sharon Brock, MEd, MS
Making new friends in midlife and beyond can be challenging with our busy lives. Studies show that over a third of adults aged 45 and older often feel lonely, and nearly a quarter of adults 65 and older are socially isolated. These studies also show that social media use is not as effective as in-person interactions to reduce the experience of loneliness.
Luckily, volunteering is an activity that can increase our social circles by connecting us with people with similar interests and values. Researchers have linked volunteering with improved mental health, not only due to the feelings of social connection with the other volunteers, but also due to a boost in self-esteem that results from offering time and energy for the good of others.
In fact, according to the NHS, there are five steps you can take to improve your mental well-being, all of which are addressed with volunteering:
- Connect with other people
- Stay physically active
- Learn new skills
- Give to others
- Stay mindful and present in the moment
Practical Tips to Get Started with Volunteering
Ready to harness these benefits? Here are a few tips to make the most of your volunteering journey:
1) Find your passion project
As we approach a nationwide election, volunteering to support your favorite politicians is a great way to meet like-minded folks. Thanksgiving and winter holidays are also fast approaching, opening many opportunities to volunteer with churches or offer food to your community’s homeless population.
Whatever you choose, why you volunteer matters. Research shows that people who volunteer for causes they are passionate about get more out of the experience than those who aren’t. So, if you love animals, call your local animal shelter to see if they need volunteers. Or, if you love nature, team up with a volunteer group that plants trees and nurtures community gardens. In any case, take some time to reflect on what you deeply care about and seek out organizations that serve that cause.
To help you find a great fit, here are links to credible registries of volunteer opportunities:
2) Start small and gradually build
Studies show that older adults experience reduced loneliness when volunteering more than 100 hours per year. If this number seems like a lofty goal, start small and local — commit to only a couple hours per week at a convenient location, then gradually increase your involvement as you become more comfortable. This approach will help ensure long-term ease in attending activities and maintaining your commitment.
3) Be consistent
You can make your experience more meaningful by opting for a volunteering job where you meet up with the same people regularly. Having fun with your volunteer group can enhance your motivation to show up every week. This consistent connection over an extended period is a great way to build and deepen these new friendships.
4) Stay balanced while prioritizing volunteer work
Remember, the goal is to make volunteering a sustainable, fun part of your life, not an additional source of stress. If you think your volunteering duties may be too strenuous for your health, consider talking to a medical professional–they may be able to provide resources for alternative ways to volunteer. If the issue is time, staying balanced and allowing yourself the flexibility to pull back if you feel overwhelmed is important. However, knowing the mental health benefits of volunteering, prioritizing your volunteer hours with other life commitments is also important.
“I’m going to Paris!” says former Stanford University swimmer Andrea (Andi) Murez, 32. “I’m so excited. It’s only a month away, and I have so much to do.”
This summer is not Murez’s first time on the Olympic stage. Paris will mark her third time competing as a sprint freestyle swimmer in the Olympic games. One year after graduating from Stanford in 2013, she moved to Israel to swim professionally for the national team. Murez has trained with Team Isreal for the past ten years, competed in the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and now has her sights on Paris.
Swimming is not the only way Murez spends her time. She was pre-med at Stanford and then attended medical school at Tel Aviv University. She graduated from medical school in the spring of 2023 and will attend a residency program in psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota later this summer—after she competes in the Olympics. She plans to specialize in sports psychiatry and work with mental health among Olympic athletes.
How Does She Do It?
Most people would consider competing in the Olympics or graduating from medical school and being accepted into a prestigious residency program enough. However, it takes an exceptional human being with superhuman coping skills to achieve two elite-level accomplishments simultaneously.
Along with taking deep breaths to calm her nerves, Murez shares many lessons she learned in her twenty-plus years of competitive swimming that she applies to achieve success outside the pool.
Time Management
Whether the goal is to perform on race day or an important exam, Murez manages her time by breaking the goal down into smaller tasks and focusing on what she needs to accomplish that day. This strategy calms her nerves since the shorter to-do list is less overwhelming, and her confidence builds when she meets her daily goals. She also writes in her journal every night to solidify her daily accomplishments and reflect on how she can improve. Then, when race or exam day arrives, she reassures herself that she has done everything possible to prepare.
Murez also manages her time by balancing swimming and studying and finds that each endeavor supports the success of the other. “There are definitely times when doing both is stressful, but I’ve learned from a young age how to balance school and swimming,” she says. “Even though the workload for each got more intense year after year, I’ve realized they help each other. For example, after a long day of medical studies, I had to swim to stay in shape for the next Olympics—and exercise is a good way to relieve stress. And vice versa. When I overthink about swimming, I can get stressed out, so school allows me to focus on something else and use my brain in a different way.”
Perseverance
Murez found that many of her medical school classmates got frustrated and impatient during intense study periods. They found it challenging to persevere through the academic rigor of medical school when they could not yet see the reward for their efforts.
However, due to her experiences as a competitive swimmer, Murez understood that hours and hours in the pool pays off on race day. This understanding of delayed gratification helped her persevere through the all-nighters of medical school.
“The Olympics only happens every four years, so the hours of training can’t just be about race day—that’s too much pressure. You’ve got to have perspective; you’ve got to enjoy the process day in and day out,” says Murez. “Dealing with pressure and staying motivated and not quitting during intense periods are skills I learned from swimming that I didn’t even know I had until I realized that others didn’t have those skills.”
Stay in Your Lane
It’s natural to be intimidated by intense competition. Over the years, Murez has learned to cultivate habits of positive self-talk, not comparing herself with other swimmers, and maintaining focus on her own progress.
“If you have bad thoughts just before the race, it can totally change the outcome. If I think, ‘That swimmer next to me looks so strong,’ I’ve learned to tell myself, ‘But, I’m strong, too,'” says Murez. “It’s important to remember that whether you win or lose, it’s not all in your control. There are the other competitors and how well they will perform, but they are also dealing with their nerves and doubts. Figuring out how to focus on your own race is really important.”
On the rare occasion that Murez misses her mark, rather than indulging in comparison and self-deprecation, she motivates herself with curiosity about the next steps to improvement.
“Instead of driving my ambition with force, I let my curiosity drive me,” says Murez. “I continually ask myself, ‘There are always ways to improve—how can I do better next time? How far can I go with this sport?’ After ten years of swimming professionally, I’m grateful that I’m still in this sport, I’m still succeeding, and I still love it.”
Mental Health Among Athletes
In the last four years, athlete mental health has become more accepted and less stigmatized. At the Tokyo Olympics, Michael Phelps and Simone Biles raised awareness about the importance of mental health among elite athletes. Murez hopes Paris Olympians will feel empowered to discuss their mental health struggles and how they overcame them.
Murez is also working with Stanford Lifestyle Psychiatry physicians to create a mental health survey that Olympic athletes must pass in order to compete. Murez is translating the survey into Hebrew to serve athletes in Israel.
“Getting an annual mental health check is just as important for Olympic athletes as the physical exam,” says Murez. “It’s important to have these conversations and raise awareness that elite athletes are human beings that have mental health struggles, too.”
In the future, Murez is on track to becoming a sports psychiatrist to help elite athletes manage stress and improve their mental health. She plans to encourage athletes to have balance in their lives and engage in activities other than their sport. “If I didn’t make Paris, I was also excited about starting residency. I think having a plan B if plan A doesn’t work out is good for athlete mental health,” she says.
Murez will also advise athletes to create a solid support system, such as mentors, coaches, family, and friends.
“When I’m stressed, along with taking deep breaths, finding perspective, and staying grateful, I also lean on my support system,” she says. “When I talk to my parents, they remind me that I’m not just a swimmer—I’m a complete person, and I’m not defined by the outcome of a race. They remind me that no matter what happens, I’m still Andi on the inside. I’m still that little girl who wants to jump in the pool and race.”
Top Recommendations for Brain Health as we age:
- Physical exercise – both aerobic and resistance training
- Healthful nutrition – fresh, fibrous whole foods
- Cognitive engagement – educational achievement and continued engagement in cognitively challenging and meaningful activities
The Stanford Lifestyle Psychiatry Clinic offers holistic psychiatric care, psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, medication management, mind-body practices, and health-and-wellness coaching. The clinic is different from other psychiatric facilities in that it offers lifestyle interventions (including exercise, nutrition, yoga, mindfulness, and sleep optimization) as primary modalities for mental health management, in addition to medication and psychotherapy.
“The clinic is for patients who prefer to take an active role in their healing by adding lifestyle practices to their treatment plan, rather than take the passive route of just taking medication,” says Douglas Noordsy, Founder and Director of the Stanford Lifestyle Psychiatry Clinic. “Patients should be interested and motivated to implement lifestyle practices in their daily life to acquire skills they can continue to use to take responsibility for their mental health.”
The clinic also offers rising mental health care professionals opportunities to train in lifestyle psychiatry and incorporate lifestyle interventions into medicine at Stanford and worldwide.
Focusing on Collaboration
Care in the Lifestyle Psychiatry clinic begins with a comprehensive assessment of past and current behaviors related to the patient’s health and well-being. The health provider identifies which behaviors may have contributed to the patient’s mental health symptoms and offers treatment options that may include medications, psychotherapy, and lifestyle interventions.
The provider then collaborates with the patient to review the potential advantages and disadvantages of a menu of lifestyle interventions. Together, the provider and patient create a treatment plan that sets manageable goals and promotes healthy behaviors. With ongoing sessions, the provider and patient continually revise the plan until the patient achieves the desired results.
“When working with patients, we offer a menu of lifestyle interventions, and they choose which option they would like to use,” says Dr. Noordsy. “With this shared decision-making approach, patients are more engaged and have a greater sense of ownership regarding their health. I’ve found that when lifestyle interventions are part of the treatment plan, patients feel more confident about managing their mental health and are likely to achieve better outcomes.”
Faculty at the clinic investigate various lifestyle practices to discern which are most effective for specific psychiatric conditions. For example, research shows that physical exercise results in increased brain activity by signaling neurons to form synapses (connections among brain cells). Also, brain imaging reveals that regular exercise causes critical areas of the brain to grow larger in volume. Increasing brain activity and volume is particularly supportive for those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
“Neurotrophic factors released during exercise tell your brain, ‘It’s time to wake up; we are out of hibernation and into activity mode.’ This increased activity in the brain is especially beneficial for people with bipolar and schizophrenia who have impairment in the activity of certain parts of the brain as well as loss of brain volume,” says Dr. Noordsy. “Also, brain regions grow larger due to physical exercise, and a larger brain is healthier whether or not you have a brain disorder.”
Lifestyle Psychiatry and Depression
To treat depression, Dr. Noordsy explains that taking a standard antidepressant medicine could help decrease depression faster than a lifestyle intervention such as exercise but may not be effective over time. Also, patients often experience a flatness of emotion and sexual side effects from antidepressants.
Physical exercise is typically on the treatment plan for patients with depression because it releases neurotransmitters involved with mood and well-being, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Although physical exercise may take longer to decrease symptoms of depression, this intervention has a more lasting effect. Additionally, exercise positively affects fatigue, cognitive function, heart health, and overall health.
“When lifestyle interventions are effective, patients often reduce the dose of their medication and sometimes come off of it entirely. This can be an ideal way to minimize medication side effects,” says Dr. Noordsy. “Ultimately, if a patient’s desired outcomes are a greater sense of well-being and greater ability to function in the world, then lifestyle interventions are the best way to get there.”
For some patients, their symptoms are so severe that they struggle to adopt lifestyle interventions such as regular exercise or optimal sleep without using medication. In these cases, Dr. Noordsy prescribes an antidepressant to get them moving. Over time, as the amount of exercise, healthy nutrition, and mindfulness practice increase the patient may get to a point where symptoms are manageable and they can decrease medication dosage to minimize side effects.
Yoga and Mind-Body Practices in Psychiatric Care
Along with psychiatrists, the clinic’s team of providers includes a health-and-wellness coach and two psychologists trained in Stanford’s therapeutic yoga program, YogaX, which aims to bring yoga and mind-body practices into healthcare. With a full range of expertise, the clinic provides multidisciplinary care across the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.
YogaX instructors are trained psychologists who promote the science and application of therapeutic yoga. YogaX offers yoga teacher training tailored to healthcare providers who want to bring yoga practices and philosophy to their patients. YogaX also provides free yoga and wellness classes for the public on its YouTube channel.
In the future, Dr. Noordsy will continue to train mental healthcare professionals in the value and application of lifestyle medicine in psychiatry. In this training, he emphasizes the importance of educating patients about the research behind the recommendations. For example, he believes that if patients know about the evidence-based mental health benefits behind the yoga intervention, they are more likely to engage in a regular yoga practice.
“I’d love to see the day where every psychiatrist offers lifestyle interventions as part of their treatment plan,” says Dr. Noordsy. “Whether it’s a weekly yoga group, eating salads for lunch, or taking daily walks in nature, seeing their psychiatrist for regular care is just one of many things the patient is doing for their well-being.”
***For more information or to schedule an appointment at the Stanford Lifestyle Psychiatry Clinic, please call (650) 498-9111.
By Mary Grace Descourouez, MS, NBC-HWC
Binge-watching television, watching YouTube videos for hours, or scrolling on your phone every morning may seem harmless, but research shows that too much screen time may be detrimental to your health.
We know children’s brains are affected by spending too much time glued to their cell phones, however research shows that adult brains are also negatively impacted by excessive screen time, defined as more than two hours a day outside of work hours.
Too much screen time can impact our health in a myriad of ways, from eye strain and neck pain to social isolation and mental health, and in some cases, it may cause harm to our brains.
“The negative effects of screen time are insidious because you can’t see what’s happening in your brain as you’re staring at the screen,” says Maris Loeffler, MA, Family and Marriage Therapist, member of the Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Cognitive Enhancement pillar. “If you scrolled on your phone in bed for an hour just one morning, the negative impacts would be minimal. But if it becomes a habit, day after day, month after month, this behavior can take a toll.”
Since the eyes are directly connected to the brain, Loeffler encourages us to think about our eye health to ensure overall brain health. Rather than looking at our phones upon waking, Loeffler recommends starting each morning looking at the horizon or an object outside and far away.
To prevent eye strain throughout the workday, The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule for adults who work on a computer. This rule suggests that individuals look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes of the day.
What is Happening in the Brain During Screen Time?
This study found that increased use of screens among adults may harm learning, memory, and mental health, as well as the potential to increase the risk of early neurodegeneration. The study shows that in adults aged 18 – 25, excessive screen time causes thinning of the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outermost layer responsible for processing memory and cognitive functions, such as decision-making and problem-solving.
Another study found that adults who watched television for five hours or more per day had an increased risk of developing brain-related disease like dementia, stroke, or Parkinson’s.
This study found that excessive screen time can hinder sleep, especially when looking at screens late at night. Light from the screen can delay melatonin release from the brain’s pineal gland, impacting the body’s natural circadian rhythm and causing difficulty sleeping.
Additional studies found that adults who engage in excessive screen time or have a diagnosed smartphone addiction had lower gray matter volume. Gray matter is brain tissue essential for daily human functioning and is responsible for everything from movement to memory to emotions. Gray matter volume naturally decreases as we age, so along with reducing screen time, engaging in activities that maintain our gray matter volume and promote brain health, such as exercise and movement, restorative sleep, social engagement, and stress management, is crucial.
“Passive screen time is like eating sugar but for your brain. It ‘tastes’ good, and you want it now, but you’re not actually feeding yourself. You’re not giving your brain any nutrition,” says Loeffler. “Instead, replace screen time with an intentional healthy habit that feeds your brain in a healthy way. Lifestyle medicine activities, like exercise, good sleep, social connection, and stress management, function like ‘nutrition’ for your brain and mental health.”
Specifically, Loeffler cautions us not to pick up the phone after the alarm goes off in the morning. She explains that looking at our email or social media on our phones while still in bed jolts the nervous system and can trigger the fight-or-flight response since we aren’t fully awake yet.
Also, if we look at our phones first thing every morning, we create a pattern and can set the flight-or-flight response as our default mode of operation. So, not only does this behavior set an anxiety-filled tone for the day, but we are also training our brains to be more hypervigilant in general.
“One of the biggest issues with picking up the phone right away in the morning is that when you have an object close to your face, it’s registered as a threat,” says Loeffler. “You wouldn’t want to wake up and look a bear in the face every morning. On a physiological level, it’s the same thing.”
Practice of the Month: No Screen Time for the First Hour of the Day
Stanford Lifestyle Medicine experts recommend no screen time for the first hour of the day to support cognitive enhancement. Instead, we suggest engaging in a lifestyle medicine activity upon waking to promote whole-body health:
- Exercise
- Call a friend or family member
- Prepare a healthy breakfast
- Meditate and count your blessings
- Listen to music
- Create a gratitude list
- Read a book
- Spend time outside and get morning light
“How do you want your day’s energy and mood to start?” says Loeffler. “Intentionally implementing a morning routine that reflects lifestyle medicine choices instead of screen time sets a positive tone for the day and supports brain health and cognitive enhancement.”