5 tips for a healthy brain

Every day the average human has about 70,000 thoughts! To keep the brain functioning at its best, experts offer five tips to avoid brain drain.

1. Multitasking

Multitasking disrupts connections and allows for more of the stress hormone cortisol to enter the brain.

"It truly breaks down your brain at every level of organization. You can't think deep when you're doing two things at once," said Sandra Bond Chapman, founder and chief director of Center for BrainHealth.

2. Too much technology

In a recent study of 205 people, researchers found tweeting, texting or checking emails on a phone were harder to resist than smoking or drinking.

"We're literally building an ADHD brain by jumping back and forth through our technology," Chapman said.

3. Not getting enough good fat

A study of 485 elderly patients found those who took 900 milligrams of an Omega-three fat for 24 weeks had significant memory improvements.

4. Not getting enough sleep

When you sleep, your brain clears out waste and helps consolidate memories. Research from Harvard shows people are 33 percent more likely to understand connections between distantly related ideas after sleeping. Experts recommend getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night.

"We need to think about setting an alarm clock to go to sleep rather than to wake up," said Audette Rackley, a clinical researcher for Center for Brain Health.

5. Skipping exercise

"Exercise increases blood flow to the hippocampus, which has been associated with memory functions," Rackley said.