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Foods to Keep You Mentally Awake

The foods you eat affect your overall functioning on a daily basis. According to the University of California, Los Angeles, eating an unbalanced, unhealthy diet that contains an abundance of fast food adversely affects your ability to learn and memorize. To get all the nutrients to wake up your brain, so that it functions at its full capacity, consume a healthy diet that contains a lot of variety.

  1. Healthy Breakfast Foods

    • Eating a healthy breakfast every morning is essential to maintain your physical and mental well-being. According to WebMD, a healthy breakfast fuels your brain and improves your attention span and short-term memory. Adults and children who skip breakfast may have a harder time concentrating at work or in school; they may lack energy and be more irritable. A healthy breakfast can be as easy as preparing a bowl of fiber-rich, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and a piece of fruit.

    Dark Chocolate and Coffee

    • Dark Chocolate and coffee both contain caffeine, which stimulates your central nervous system and wakes you up when you are feeling sleepy or fatigued. Reader's Digest states that aside from calming you down, caffeine improves your problem-solving skills and your brain's ability to process information. Drink coffee in the morning because drinking it at night can interfere with your sleep schedule. Avoid eating an entire dark-chocolate bar; 1 oz. per day is all you need to enjoy the mental benefits.

    Blueberries

    • Blueberries can satisfy your sweet tooth and boost your brainpower at the same time. According to Scientific American, the sweet berries contain flavonoid compounds, which improve your learning ability and memory. Consumed over time, blueberries are also believed to combat the decline of brain-functioning associated with aging. Eat blueberries in the morning with your breakfast or drink 2 cups of blueberry juice, instead of other juices, over the course of the day to get your daily dose.

    Fatty Fish

    • Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to the healthy functioning of your brain and enhance your brain's performance and memory, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Because your body does not naturally make omega-3 fatty acids, you have to provide it. Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, as are other fatty fish such as lake trout, herring, sardines, mackerel and albacore tuna. Consume two 4-oz. servings of fish on a weekly basis to enjoy the benefits.

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