Heat things up to supercharge your brain

Have you been more forgetful lately? Has it been harder to focus than it used to be?

Talking to your doctor about it probably won’t do you any good.

Mainstream medicine thinks that it’s all just a natural part of getting older. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can boost your brain health, stay sharp and improve your memory at any age.

In fact, there is a way to use the heat of a sauna to turn back the clock, reverse the effects of aging on your brain and restore your memory…

How heat helps your brain

Heat, like the kind you get in a sauna, is unbelievable at keeping your brain young and healthy.

It does it is by boosting some of the most important brain helpers at your body’s disposal, starting with norepinephrine — a chemical in your brain that helps you focus. Norepinephrine helps you:

• Think better
• Remember things more easily
• Improve your attention span

One study in men who used a sauna measured a 310 percent increase in norepinephrine.

And, another study in women who spent just 20 minutes in the heat of a sauna twice a week showed an 86 percent increase in the vital chemical.

Even better, these studies also showed that sauna time increased prolactin in the brain — up to 10 times. Prolactin helps your body grow myelin, the coating for your brain and nervous system.

So, spending time in the sauna can mean faster brain function and even help repair damaged nerve cells. But that’s not all…

Still another way that the heat of a sauna helps age-proof your brain is by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

BDNF has been called “growth-hormone” for the brain. It helps your brain grow new cells and enhances long-term memory.

BDNF is so important to keeping your memory that researchers have discovered that people with the highest levels of this hormone develop dementia 50 percent less often than people with lower levels.

Main symptoms of an aging brain

You may not know this but the symptoms of brain aging are very similar to depression.

• Feeling tired
• Brain fog
• Lack of zest for life
• Memory lapses
• Decreased attention span

And, at the far end of the spectrum, you get dementia and Alzheimer’s — now the 6^th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Safe sauna use for a healthy brain

Here’s how to use a sauna to improve your brain health and supercharge your memory:

• Always drink at least 12 ounces of water before you get in the sauna.
• The best sauna temperature range is from 102 – 106ºF.
• Use sauna for 10 to 20 minutes to get the most benefits.
• You can read, listen to music or use the time to meditate.
• Take a cool shower after your sauna.
• In the shower, use a brush to exfoliate your skin and brush away toxins.
• Drink another 12 ounces of water after your shower to re-hydrate.
• For best effect, repeat this practice at least twice a week — the more the better.

Just remember, don’t stay in too long because that could cause you to overheat or faint.

And, never use a sauna after drinking alcohol.

If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, check with your doctor first.

Start using a sauna today for a healthier brain and sharper memory no matter what your age.

Editor’s note: While you’re heating things up to supercharge your brain, or following lots of other great health tips to keep your memory sharp as you age, make sure you aren’t taking any drugs that are stealing your mind. One in particular is based on the biggest, most lucrative health hoax ever perpetrated! Click here to read more about it!

Sources:

1. “How to Balance Norepinephrine Levels Naturally” — Be Brain Fit, accessed 12/26/16

2. “Haemodynamic and hormonal responses to heat exposure in a Finnish sauna bath” — European Journal of Applied Physiology, accessed 12/26/16

3. “Response of plasma endorphins, prolactin and catecholamines in women to intense heat in a sauna” — European Journal of Applied Physiology, accessed 12/26/16

4. “BDNF gene – brain derived neurotrophic factor” — Genetics Home Reference, accessed 12/26/16

5. “Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and the Risk for Dementia The Framingham Heart Study” — JAMA Neurology, accessed 12/26/16

6. “Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet” — National Institute on Aging, accessed 12/26/16