Neuroscientist shares 3 simple habits keep brain 'sharp and energised': 'Everyday I...'

Brain sharpness is built through repeatable routines rather than high‑intensity self-optimisation, Neuroscientist and mental‑performance consultant Daya Grant said. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A Los Angeles-based neuroscientist and mental‑performance consultant has said that mental sharpness has less to do with “grinding harder” and more to do with returning to small, consistent habits that support the brain over time. Drawing from her work with high‑performers, Daya Grant told CNBC Make It that her experience as a parent of two, and her background in endurance sports, she argues that resilience is built through repeatable routines rather than high‑intensity self-optimisation.

"All of these experiences have taught me that I can’t simply grind my way into a sharp mind. But I can build it by returning to the same simple practices, day after day," Grant said.

Here are three simple practices she uses in daily life:

1. Protecting unstructured time

Grant considers unstructured time one of the most underrated contributors to mental clarity. She blocks “white space” into her daily schedule, deliberately stepping away from meetings and objectives. Often, this means sitting outdoors in her Los Angeles neighbourhood, noticing ambient sounds and sunlight, sometimes with a notebook to jot down ideas. The point, she told the publication, is to allow the mind to reset without external demands — a practice that fuels creativity and restores cognitive energy.

2. Relearning the piano and returning to puzzles

Inspired by her eldest child’s interests, Grant has reintroduced two hobbies from her childhood — piano and jigsaw puzzles — into her daily routine. "I genuinely love these hobbies, especially because they allow me to bond with my son. They also have a ton of cognitive benefits," she said. Learning an instrument strengthens memory and executive‑function regions in the brain, while puzzles support spatial reasoning and provide a calming mental break.

3. Alternate nostril breathing for alertness

Grant also relies on alternate nostril breathing, a technique she says is well‑researched for reducing mental fatigue and increasing alertness. The practice involves rhythmically closing and opening each nostril while inhaling and exhaling through the opposite side. She uses it whenever she feels her mental performance dip, repeating the cycle for a few minutes until she feels centred and alert.