Disclaimer: This article provides information on productivity tools and strategies. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition.

Our brains are complex computers, constantly processing information and shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and memories. But unlike a computer, the brain is not static.

Our brain cells can remarkably adapt and change throughout our lives, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to form new neural connections and modify existing ones throughout our lives. This continuous process is influenced by our experiences, thoughts, and even our daily habits.

Let’s examine the science behind brain changes and explore the fascinating concept of neuroplasticity. We’ll also explore how simple lifestyle modifications can positively change brain chemistry and function.

How to Change Your Brain Naturally

Understanding Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is experience-dependent; the more we engage in specific activities, the stronger the associated neural connections become.

It’s also use-it-or-lose-it—pathways that aren’t frequently used can weaken and diminish over time.

But you don’t need to worry because neuroplasticity lasts throughout our lives, not just during childhood development.

Benefits of neuroplasticity

Now, let’s understand how exactly neuroplasticity benefits you:

Enhanced learning: Neuroplasticity allows you to learn new things effectively. By challenging yourself with new skills and experiences, you strengthen your cognitive abilities
Improved memory: By actively engaging in activities that stimulate the brain, you can improve your ability to store and recall information
Increased resilience: Structural plasticity, our brain’s ability to make actual structural changes over long periods, can help the brain recover from injuries or damage. It helps create new pathways to compensate for lost function

10 Ways to Rewire Your Brain Naturally

Incorporating simple strategies into your daily routine can actively promote brain health. Let’s explore some practical ways to change your brain chemistry naturally.

1. Exercising diligently

Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, promoting the growth of new neurons and strengthening existing connections.

Studies demonstrated that moderate and high levels of physical activity reduced the risk of dementia by about 28%.

And it’s never too late to start. Planned physical exercise, or any physical activity, can improve and sometimes reverse some of the effects of cognitive decline, even in older adults.

Another study found that physical activity increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for the growth and survival of brain cells.

Regular exercise also improves memory and focus and even reduces the risk of cognitive decline in younger adults!

Now, we know that maintaining consistency in physical activity and exercise can be a challenge. And that’s why we recommend ClickUp!

Track workouts, set goals, and stay in shape, physically and mentally, with ClickUp's Exercise Log Template — Track workouts, set goals, and stay in shape, physically and mentally, with ClickUp’s Exercise Log Template

ClickUp’s Exercise Log Template is designed to help track your workouts and progress over time, helping you stay motivated and on course with your fitness goals. This can be especially helpful if you’re looking to improve your brain health through exercise.

First, create Custom Fields to categorize your workouts by type (endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility). Include different activities in your routine to target all these areas. Developing a well-rounded fitness regimen can maximize the brain benefits you achieve.

Next, set specific goals for your workouts, such as increasing the duration of your cardio sessions or the number of reps of your strength exercise.

Use Custom Statuses such as ‘Completed’ and ‘Missed’ to track your progress and stay motivated. Monitor how your exercise routine improves your brain health.

Use the template to track the intensity of your workouts too. Higher-intensity physical exercise enhances neuroplasticity and is more beneficial for brain health than lower-intensity exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.

Download This Template

💡Pro tip: Consistency is key to forming healthier habits and improving brain health. Use habit tracker apps to track your workouts. They let you see how much exercise you’re getting over time and keep you on track to meet your goals.

2. Getting enough sleep

Most of us have pulled an all-nighter at some point. Whether cramming for an exam, catching a late-night flight, or simply being glued to a captivating show or book, sacrificing sleep is a common experience.

The resulting grogginess is far from benign. Research indicates that even a single night of sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on how the human brain functions.

And sleep also plays a crucial role in neuroplasticity. It allows our brain to adapt and form new connections.

When we sleep, our brain consolidates memories, processes information, and removes waste. Prioritizing quality sleep can also help reverse the negative effects of sleep deprivation and promote brain neuroplasticity.

Here are some tips to improve your sleep quality and promote brain rewiring:

Establish a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up around the same time each day, even on weekends
Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Take a warm bath, read a book, or practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation
Optimize your sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool
Avoid screens before bed: Do not use your phone before sleeping. The blue light emitted from electronic devices can disrupt your sleep cycle

And make sure you get seven to eight hours of sleep every night.

3. Consuming a healthy diet

You reach for sugary treats or processed snacks during a stressful day and feel sluggish and foggy afterward. Wondered why?

There’s a strong connection between what we eat and how we think and feel. A nutritional psychiatry study found diets laden with processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats can negatively impact your brain health.

Conversely, a Mediterranean diet is linked to a lower risk of mental health issues like Alzheimer’s disease. This diet emphasizes eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, and olive oil, all packed with nutrients that nourish the brain and support its function.

A diet rich in brain-boosting nutrients can promote neuroplasticity. And this transition to a brain-healthy diet doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some tips:

Consume whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
Include healthy fats from sources like nuts, seeds, and fatty fish in your diet
Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats
Practice mindful eating and pay attention to your body’s hunger and fullness cues

Remember, consistency is key! The more you prioritize a brain-healthy diet, the sooner you’ll experience its positive effects on your mental well-being.

4. Practicing mindfulness and meditation

While stress is a natural human response, chronic stress has a significant negative impact on our mental health. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, leading to anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating.

To avoid these conditions, you need to achieve mindfulness. Mindfulness is a mental state where you’re fully focused on the present moment—your surroundings, thoughts, and feelings.

And meditation is a practice that helps cultivate mindfulness. It involves training your attention and cultivating awareness through breathing exercises or anchoring attention to sensations in different body parts.

These practices can positively impact brain function and mental health:

Improved focus: A 2021 study found mindfulness meditation training increased working memory capacity and cognitive flexibility in healthy participants
Enhanced emotional regulation: The same study investigated the effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a meditation therapy, on emotional regulation in people with depression. The study found that MBSR participants showed significantly improved emotional regulation compared to the control group

Here are a few options to help you get started with mindfulness and meditation:

Applications: Use apps to help you focus, reduce stress, and improve sleep
Mindfulness programs: Programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teach mindfulness techniques and their application in daily life
Meditation retreats: Retreats provide a structured environment for learning meditation and practicing mindfulness

We’ve all experienced that gnawing feeling of loneliness. Maybe it’s stronger after a move to a new city, a breakup, or simply a period of social isolation. Loneliness isn’t just an unpleasant emotion; it significantly impacts our brains—and it’s increasingly affecting the younger generations, too.

Cigna’s 2020 report highlights overwhelming reports of loneliness by Gen Zers and Millennials alike—with over 70% of them feeling lonely.

Strong social connections are a powerful antidote, rewiring our brains for better mental health. When we engage in positive social interactions, our bodies release a flood of feel-good neurotransmitters like oxytocin and dopamine. These chemicals promote feelings of trust, happiness, and reward, strengthening the neural pathways associated with positive emotions.

Here are some ways to build positive relationships:

Reconnect with old friends and family
Join a club or group based on your interests
Volunteer your time to a cause you care about
Take a class or workshop to meet new people
Simply strike up conversations with people you meet in your daily life

Investing in your social life is an investment in your brain health and overall well-being. So go forth, connect with your fellow humans, and watch your brain blossom!

6. Seeking professional support

Remember that time when you couldn’t stop reliving that awkward conversation in your head or blaming yourself for that silly but disastrous mistake? It’s human to experience moments of forgetfulness, sadness, or anxiety where our minds feel stuck in a negative loop. But for people with mental disorders, these negative patterns can rewire the brain and become much more persistent and disruptive to daily life.

Mental disorders are surprisingly common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], in the United States alone, an estimated 1 in 5 adults (57.8 million in 2021) experiences mental illness in a given year.

Though mental disorders impact many brain regions and functions, the exact causes are still being researched. While some lifestyle changes can be helpful for everyone, remember that a complex interplay of factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences causes these disorders.

For mild forgetfulness, ADHD apps offer useful tools to break negative loops and improve focus. But seek professional support for managing serious mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These conditions often require a combination of therapy and medication to address the underlying biological and psychological factors at play.

7. Reading and learning a new language

Our brains are like adaptable muscles. Just as physical exercise strengthens the body, mental activities can strengthen and reshape the brain.

Two powerful ways to harness neuroplasticity are learning a new language and reading. Reading and learning new languages are forms of cognitive training that:

Improve memory
Boost cognitive function
Enhance multitasking skills
Delay cognitive decline

Here are quick tips to get started:

Read diversely: Explore different genres, from fiction and non-fiction to poetry
Embrace the challenge: Learning a new language takes dedication, but the rewards are worth it. Consider language learning apps, online courses, or conversation groups to get started
Start small and be consistent: Dedicate a manageable amount of time daily to reading or language practice. Stay consistent to build new neural pathways

8. Listening to music and playing an instrument

Music is a complex experience that activates various parts of your brain in a coordinated manner. A recent study found that listening to music activates areas of our brain involved in hearing, emotion, and movement.

Playing an instrument takes that brain activation to a whole new level. It requires not only listening but also motor skills, coordination, and sight-reading. This multi-sensory experience creates denser neural connections than experiences requiring fewer senses.

A study involving children who learned to play the piano found increased gray matter density in areas of the brain associated with auditory processing, motor function, and spatial reasoning, which translates to improved cognitive abilities.

You don’t need to be a virtuoso to reap the benefits of music. Here are some ways to incorporate music into your life:

Listen actively: Pay attention to the music you’re listening to. Notice the melody, rhythm, and instruments used
Learn to play a new instrument: Don’t think you have the talent to be the next rockstar? You don’t have to—there are instruments for all skill levels and interests
Sing along: Singing activates different brain regions than listening alone and can be a great way to boost your mood
Dance: Moving your body to music is a fun way to engage your motor skills and improve cognitive function

9. Taking new routes and traveling

Studies show a clear link between novelty and brain function.

A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that engaging in novel experiences enhanced cognitive function in older adults.

This is because new environments challenge our brains to process information differently, stimulating the creation of new neural pathways and strengthening existing ones.

Immersing yourself in new cultures can spark creativity. Foreign experiences like those while traveling increase cognitive flexibility, leading to deeper and more integrative thinking.

You don’t need a grand vacation to benefit either! Start by taking a different route to work or your favorite coffee shop. Visit a new neighborhood or park.

Here’s how to maximize the brain benefits of taking new routes and traveling:

Explore the unfamiliar: Don’t rely on GPS all the time. Challenge yourself to navigate using a physical map or landmarks
Travel locally: Plan a weekend getaway to a nearby town or explore hidden gems in your city
Embrace new experiences: Try new foods, visit museums or historical sites, and engage with the local culture
Be present: Put your phone away and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and smells of your surroundings

10. Learning new skills and art forms

One key factor driving neuroplasticity is the formation of new connections between brain cells. When we learn something new, our brain adapts by creating new pathways for information to flow. Studies have shown that this process can be remarkably effective.

For instance, a recent study showed that learning juggling for just three months increased gray matter in the brain regions responsible for visual processing, touch, and motor control. This suggests that learning a new skill strengthens existing neural connections and even promotes the formation of new ones.

The benefits of artistic pursuits are equally compelling.

Research from 2023, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, suggests that activities such as music, dance, and visual arts can significantly promote brain connectivity.

The study found that engaging in these activities can improve motor skills, coordination, and memory. Notably, the benefits extended beyond cognitive function, with participants reporting reductions in emotional distress and a heightened quality of life.

Bonus Tip: Use ClickUp

We’ve explored the incredible potential of learning new skills and art forms to reshape your brain. Now, it’s time to translate this knowledge into action!

ClickUp’s Personal Project Management Software is a powerful productivity tool that can help you manage your day-to-day tasks and build and maintain habits that contribute to brain health and overall well-being.

Here’s how to use ClickUp as your personal well-being toolbox:

Visualize and plan: See your workload at a glance, prioritize tasks, and create a workflow that keeps you focused and in control. ClickUp offers 10+ customizable views, including lists, mind maps, boards, and calendars, to plan your perfect day
Break down big goals: ClickUp Tasks let you break down big goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This makes them less daunting and provides a clear roadmap for success, boosting productivity and motivation
Prioritize: Prioritize tasks with urgency and tackle the most important things first to feel a sense of accomplishment and reduce stress
Track progress: Use ClickUp Dashboards to visualize your progress toward personal goals. Whether mastering a new skill, learning a language, or improving sleep patterns, seeing your progress is a powerful motivator to keep going
Manage everything, anywhere: ClickUp offers synchronization across desktops, mobiles, and browsers. You can even work offline and let all your work sync when you reconnect to the internet
Never forget an idea: Use ClickUp Notepad to jot down any idea quickly or set reminders from a desktop, mobile, or web browser. ClickUp lets you capture those fleeting thoughts before they disappear and link your ideas to tasks for seamless planning and execution

ClickUp Brain is a powerful AI tool that takes on the burden of supporting the lifestyle changes required to promote brain plasticity. Use it as a second brain for:

Personalized learning plans: Brain plasticity thrives on novelty. Use ClickUp Brain to curate information from various sources (articles, videos) to create personalized learning plans for new skills
Healthy habit reminders:
- Integrate healthy habits into your routine by setting reminders for exercise, mindfulness exercises like deep breathing and meditation, or screen breaks
- Use Brain to manage your sleep schedule. Create a recurring task for ‘Go to Bed by 10 p.m.’ and set ClickUp Brain to track completion and adjust the reminder based on your sleep goals
Brain food: Compile a list of recipes based on brain food in a ClickUp Doc. ClickUp Brain can then automate meal planning by suggesting recipes based on your dietary needs and preferences

A word of caution: There are concerns about the potential negative impacts of AI on brain health. For example, some experts worry that excessive reliance on AI could lead to a decline in cognitive skills. It’s important to balance using AI to enhance our cognitive abilities and using our brains actively.

Nurture and track healthy personal habits with ClickUp's Personal Habit Tracker Template — Nurture and track healthy personal habits with ClickUp’s Personal Habit Tracker Template

We have another quick tool to support your brain-rewiring journey. The ClickUp Personal Habit Tracker Template helps track your journey toward a sharper mind.

Here’s how to leverage it to start rewiring your brain:

Define your desired outcome: This could be mastering a new language, learning to play a musical instrument, taking up a new dance style, or even devoting a specific amount of time daily to creative pursuits like painting or writing
Habit tracking: Break down your chosen activity into smaller, achievable daily tasks. For example, if your goal is to learn French, track activities like completing a set of flashcards, practicing basic phrases, or listening to a French language podcast
Daily tracking: Track and mark your progress on each habit daily. This helps you stay motivated and provides a sense of accomplishment. Consistently aim to track your habits daily, even if it’s just for a short practice session

Download This Template

Bonus: Check out a few more habit tracker templates for customized habit tracking!

Rewire Your Brain; Reshape Your Life

Neural plasticity offers an empowering perspective on the brain. It’s not a static organ but a dynamic system that can be reshaped throughout life.

By understanding its characteristics and implementing strategies like exercise, healthy sleep, and mental stimulation, we can actively promote brain health, improve cognitive function, and recover from certain conditions.

As research on neuroplasticity continues to evolve, we can expect to discover even more exciting ways to optimize brain function.

Remember, the brain is like a muscle; the more you work it, the stronger and more adaptable it becomes. Embrace lifelong learning, challenge yourself, and witness the remarkable power of neuroplasticity in action. Use tools like ClickUp to support you along the way.

Ready to start rewiring your brain? Embark on a journey of continuous learning and growth.

Experience ClickUp for free today!