Keep Your Mind Sharp with Jarrow Formulas' Cognizin Citicoline

With the gray days of winter gone, it’s time to spruce up our brains for the fast-paced, fun-packed hours of summer. Think of it as spring cleaning for your mind.

Your brain needs it, too. Those long, dark days take their toll on brain health, as do the tasty—yet bad-for-us—foods that are the staple of the holiday season. But there’s good news: It doesn’t take a ton of elbow grease to shake off those groggy, lethargic feelings. Here are a five ways to keep your mind sharp this summer doing the things you’ll likely already be doing:

1. Get some sun. According to a 2016 Brigham Young University study, emotional distress spikes during the fall and winter when clouds and shorter days limit sun exposure. Sunshine is a critical source of Vitamin D, which studies have shown to improve memory and other cognitive functions.
2. Power down. As if loads of sunshine, outdoor activities and vacation getaways aren’t enough to get you to set aside that smartphone or tablet, then keeping your brain healthy should. A National Public Radio report outlined how excessive use of electronics may be rewiring kids’ brains by limiting sensory stimulation. Basking in a screen’s glow before bed also has been shown to disrupt proper sleep cycles.
3. Zzzzzz. Longer days and uber activities may keep you from getting the sleep your brain needs. But studies show that proper sleep solidifies memory, clears toxins associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, boosts creativity, and wards off tons of physical and emotional maladies. So hit those sheets and give your brain the rest it deserves.
4. Wanna play? All the physical activity you’re getting at the beach, park or in your backyard is perfect for keeping the mind sharp. Exertion increases blood flow to “white matter,” cells that allow communication between different parts of the brain. Even mild exercise can help.
5. Eat the right fuel. The brain is the body’s equivalent of a computer’s central processing unit. It needs an endless supply of power to run properly. Eating the right types of foods can help repair brain cells, supply the building blocks of neurotransmitters that control how you learn and remember. Consume the bad stuff—sugars, trans fats, etc.—and you can be left feeling groggy, anxious and depressed. Nutritionists recommend a diet high in “brain foods” such as fatty fish, berries, kale, eggs, avocado and sea vegetables.
   
   Many of the foods we eat don’t adequately supply key nutrients, such as citicoline, it may be wise to add a supplement to your everyday routine.    Citicoline is nature’s way of keeping the brain’s energy-producing centers firing.  A proper daily dose can be found in Jarrow Formulas' Cognizin® Citicoline, a pure, vegetarian and allergen-free product. Citicoline is a naturally occurring nutrient found in the brain. Cognizin® is a patented form of citicoline that has been clinically studied to support mental energy, focus, attention, and recall.*

Summer is the time for fun, relaxation and rejuvenating from the darker, colder days of winter. Your brain will appreciate the extra activity and attention sunlight, good food, sleep, and exercise can bring. And so will you!

You can learn more about Jarrow Formulas' Cognizin® Citicoline here.