Health & Wellness

Best Doctors: A Special Report On Brain Health

Keep your most vital organ sharp with our advice on how to improve brain health. Plus, Cleveland’s 1,331 best physicians in 92 specialties.

by James Bigley II, Alexandra Tinline, Kate Bigam Kaput, Kevin Carpenter, Abby Burton, Lynne Thompson, Arbela Capas | Jul. 29, 2019 | 12:00 PM

Melinda Beck

Melinda Beck

Your brain is your most important organ. We're here to help you keep it in tiptop shape with advice on how to connect more with others, activities to stay sharp, reasons cardio is a no-brainer, the superfoods to put on your grocery list and details on why getting quality sleep matters.

Here, we dig into the latest research, discoveries and trends in brain health, especially the five categories — social interaction, mental fitness, physical exercise, sleep and relaxation, and food and nutrition — that affect brain health the most.

Editor's Note: Click the titles to read the full Best Doctors: Special Brain Health Report write-ups.

15 Brain Conditions Explained — The brain's enigmas often extend to the diseases that attack it. Doctors explain what symptoms to watch for and more.

What's Next In Brain Health? — The next wave in brain health discoveries is ready to crest. Check out these four breakthroughs.

Social Interaction

Three Ways To Stay Connected IRL — A strong social connection improves brain health, experts say.

How Human Connection Affects Brain Health — No matter what age you are, how we interact with each other throughout our lives can have a pronounced affect on our health and wellness.

How Creating Digital Media Brings Teens Together — A group of students build infomercials to promote brain health — and improve their own along the way.

Mental Fitness

Four Brain-Friendly Activities To Keep You Sharp  Improving your brain health doesn't have to be boring. Have some fun — and stay sharp — with these brain games.

Art Goes A Long Way For Brain Health — How the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute heals through art.

Physical Exercise

How Aerobic Exercise Improves Brain Health Physical activity improves cognition and has a beneficial effect on Alzheimer's pathology.

Your Brain Needs Some Gym Time Too — Test out these three physical exercises to help increase your brain health.

Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps A Day? We look into the marketing-driven history of the 10,000 steps a day rule.

Sleep & Relaxation

Your Brain Really Wants You To Go To Sleep While you sleep, your brain is hard at work keeping itself healthy.

Do Sleep Aids Work? We ask the experts about blue-light glasses, melatonin supplements and weighted blankets.

You Really Should Be Napping Right Now Here's why sleep deprived people — so, most of us — can benefit from an afternoon nap.

Food & Nutrition

How Gut And Brain Health Are Connected Dr. Gregory Cooper of University Hospitals' gastroenterology fellowship explains how one affects the other.

Add These Brain Boosters To Your Diet  Fish oil, probiotics and prebiotics and a little bit of discipline are easy ways to optimize your diet for brain health.

These Superfoods Combat Aging Effects Berries, dark chocolate, fish and nuts help slow brain aging.

Click here to search the full list of Cleveland’s 1,331 best physicians in 92 specialties.

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