A recipe for ultimate brain performance this National Fitness Day

Today marks National Fitness Day (27 September 2017). This annual awareness campaign encourages the nation to celebrate the fun of fitness and physical activity across the UK. It is also a chance to highlight the role physical activity plays across the UK, helping us raise awareness of its importance in helping us lead healthier and active lifestyles.
 
To mark 2017’s National Fitness Day, the workplace consultants at Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) are giving employers the information they need to ensure they keep their employees in tip-top condition.
 
The research group within AWA’s Workplace Performance Innovation Network (PIN), in partnership with a global network of academics from The Centre for Evidence Based Management (CEBMa), undertook an extensive study involving a review of over 800 research papers in order to discover the factors that can impact the way the brain functions.
 
Although acute exercise and physical activity is one of these factors, there are six others that impact the brain’s ability to perform at its best, including:
 
•    Caffeine and glucose drinks: These beverages significantly impact alertness and focus when people become mentally tired.
 
•    Hydration: Not drinking enough impacts the brain as well as the body – memory, decision-making and attention are all impacted by dehydration.
 
•    Breakfast, nutrition breaks: The brain needs fuel – particularly after a night’s sleep when fluids, nutrients and sugars have been depleted. Malnutrition impacts many brain functions, including information processing and memory.
 
•    Lighting, temperature, scent: Being uncomfortable distracts people from work – it’s that simple. Being able to find the right conditions increases the chances of best performance.
 
•    Cognitive stimulation, mindfulness: Demanding and varied activities have a positive impact on the brain’s performance. Mindfulness can help with focus and concentration.
 
•    Sleep: Sleep is necessary for all brain functions. Insufficient sleep affects concentration, decision-making and relationships.
 
•    Noise, speech, task interruptions: The workplace is full of distractions – noise, speech and being interrupted impact concentration and focus to a significant degree.
 
These factors have been proven to enhance the productivity of knowledge workers – people who are involved in cognitive work as opposed to physical labour. Recognising that improving the performance of every brain on the payroll ultimately leads to better business performance, AWA is encouraging organisations to ensure they provide work environments that support these areas of cognitive fitness.
 
www.advanced-workplace.com