Tony’s Tools

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Tony carries the tools for a healthy brain. Each of these tools represents evidence-based strategies for maintaining brain health. When we have those tools, we are better equipped to make longer-term decisions and foster our mental wellness. The ant tools are the key to self-care. We truly are better at taking care of ourselves when we have Tony’s tools in place.

Walkie-Talkie: Social Connections

The walkie-talkie represents social connections. Social connections encompass family, friends, coworkers, and people in our community – essentially anyone within our world. Social connections also include pets, particularly those warm, fuzzy ones that like to curl up with us and wag their tails when we get home.

Social connections are crucial for maintaining brain health. Our brains evolved during tribal times. Our social connections were critical to survival, so our brains evolved to reinforce those relationships. Positive social interactions trigger the release of oxytocin, a neurochemical crucial for brain health. We also have special neurons called mirror neurons that fire when we are with others, mirroring their experiences. Scientists believe that this helps us to build empathy.

Social isolation can be damaging to our mental well-being, so it is essential to make an effort to build those connections, even when we may not feel like it. When people are depressed, they are less likely to reach out, but those connections are even more critical when people are feeling down. In-person social interaction is best, but if we can’t see people in person, it can be helpful to talk by phone or online.

Sleeping Bag: Rest & Sleep

Our brains use a lot of energy, mainly when we are concentrating or we are stressed out. We need to have a chance to get both rest and sleep to recharge.

By rest, we mean downtime or a change in activity that can replenish our energy. Much of our world is designed in a way that works against the way our brains evolved, including the way we design our classrooms and workplaces. Expectations of long periods of sitting and concentrating without opportunities for movement, rest, and a change of activities undermine our brain’s working capacity. We are much more productive when we take opportunities to get up, stand, stretch, and walk around. It is also helpful to change activities. For example, in class, it is beneficial to switch between listening activities (lecture), reading, and opportunities for discussions. Social interaction can also serve as a “rest” for the brain.

Sleep is also essential. Not getting enough sleep affects almost every system in our bodies. During sleep, our brains “clean up” the brain, washing away proteins that can be damaging. Think of sleep as a janitorial service or a dishwasher. When we do not get enough sleep, that builds up and can cause damage and even put us at greater risk for developing degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Banana: Snacks & Nutrition

Although the brain weighs only about three pounds, it consumes approximately 20% of our energy. That means that most of the food we eat keeps our brains working. There is a strong connection between our brain and our digestive system, known as the gut-brain axis. It is a communication system between our central nervous system (what we think of as our brain) and our enteric nervous system (what we think of as our gastrointestinal tract). The nutrition that we get directly affects the communication system. If we consistently eat foods that are not healthy and overprocessed, it can affect our microbiome and lead to inflammation, resulting in various health problems.

We all know it is essential to eat healthy food, but sometimes it is difficult to understand what constitutes healthy food. The best foods for the brain are those that are not as processed. The closer a food is to its original form (the one it came from in nature), the better it is for our brains. That is because foods closer to their original form allow the brain to break them down and utilize them as needed. Foods that are highly processed require the brain to process them, which can lead to inflammation.

It is also crucial to obtain the hydration we need. If we don’t drink enough throughout the day, our brains do not function as well. As most people know, it is best to drink liquids that do not contain added sugar, such as water and herbal tea.

Hiking Boots: Exercise and Movement

There are so many benefits to movement and activity on the brain. In fact, given the body of evidence, a growing number of psychiatrists are prescribing exercise as a treatment for mental health issues.

When we move our bodies, we increase blood flow to the brain, and our brains release essential neurotransmitters that can help decrease feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as enhance our ability to concentrate. Exercise has also been shown to promote the growth of new brain cells and enhance the connections between neurons, known as synapses. That means exercise can help improve our brain function. Finally, exercise can help protect us against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Our brains and bodies were not designed to sit for long periods–we need to get up and move. Any amount of physical activity can be beneficial, and it is essential that we continue exercising as we age.

Map: Frameworks, Routines, and Predictability

Frameworks and routines are important for the brain for several reasons. Because the brain’s primary function is to protect us, it tends to avoid unpredictable situations. When we find ourselves in new and unexpected situations, our brain is more likely to prepare us for protection. For our brain, that means fight, flight, or freeze. When we are in fight, flight, or freeze mode, we are more likely to be anxious and say and do things that we regret. Routines help to relieve stress and anxiety.

Routines also conserve energy. Because our brains use a significant amount of energy, they are constantly seeking ways to conserve. When we have a predictable routine, it requires significantly less energy for the brain. Think about it. Isn’t it much easier to drive on a route you have done time and again? We don’t have to think as hard about what we are doing.

Routines can also help us establish new healthy habits, such as exercise and meditation. At first, it can be challenging to start something new, but as we establish a habit as a part of our routine, it takes less motivation. We are creatures of habit, so once we have the routine set, our brains can actually have us looking forward to those habits.

Binoculars: Focused Attention

There are several benefits to the brain when we engage in focused activities. Our brains like to work and learn. Next to keeping us alive, that is their most important job. We are wired to strive for competence and feel a sense of purpose.

Focused activities, such as mindful meditation, yoga, music, and art, can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. This system enables us to relax and restore energy. Focused activities can lead to a feeling of accomplishment, which promotes the release of neurochemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. Many focused activities help improve memory and cognition, which can protect us from neurodegenerative diseases.

Our brains are somewhat like our muscles – they are meant to be used. When we engage in focused activities, we are strengthening our brains.

Merit Badge: Compassion, Pride, Gratitude, and Purpose

The brain likes a sense of purpose. We want to feel like we matter. We want to feel like we make a difference.

This ant tool ties into social connections and focused activities because pride, compassion, gratitude, and purpose often stem from those activities. When we engage in activities that foster pride, compassion, gratitude, and purpose, our brains release neurochemicals that promote mental well-being. You can think about the neurochemicals as being like text messages to the brain that drive our behavior. The more we engage in those activities, the more likely we are to want to engage in them, as those neurochemicals produce a feeling of well-being.

We like to say that self-esteem isn’t a gift we can give; it is a neurochemical response we rob people of when we don’t let them struggle. It is only through engaging in hard work that we can reap the benefits of feeling pride and purpose. That is the way that our brains are wired.

Our brains are also wired for social connections. When we engage in prosocial behavior like compassion and gratitude, our brains release oxytocin. That is why when we do something for someone else, we feel a sense of satisfaction.

Neurochemicals play a crucial role in our mental state. In fact, many of the medications used to treat mental health disorders derive from neurochemicals that we get naturally through experiences that promote pride, gratitude, compassion, and a sense of purpose.

Nature: Nature and the Outdoors

While there has been anecdotal evidence that nature is beneficial to us for a long time, scientists are only now beginning to study its effects. They have found that spending time in nature can have significant benefits to our mental health.

As a society, we tend to spend a lot of time indoors, particularly in front of computers. Our brains were not designed for that. They were intended to spend time in nature. That is why our circadian rhythm is so closely tied to light and dark – we were created to align our schedules with nature’s time clock.

When we are in nature, we tend to be healthier. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can decrease our stress levels, reduce our tendency to ruminate about problems, and improve our mood. Being in nature can also increase our creativity, as it allows our brains to engage in the lower-energy-intensive “default network.” That can enable us to make creative breakthroughs in problem-solving. Interestingly, even if we cannot get outside, our brains can benefit from bringing nature inside–there have been demonstrated benefits to humans from having plants inside. Being outside is also a great way to get vitamin D, which is beneficial to our brains.

Now that you know the tools, check out the Tony’s Tools Music Video