5 of the Smallest Things You Can Do to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Chronic stress does no favors for your health. Among the myriad ill effects, including worsening cardiovascular risk factors, it also negatively affects your ability to think, focus and remember. While daily stress reduction is important, everyone is different when it comes to what works for them, Aggarwal says. One simple practice: "Simply sitting quietly soon after you wake in the a.m. can do wonders for your concentration later in the day," she says. Aggarwal also recommends trying the Calm app, which can help assist stress relief with its short breathing exercises.