Going To The Gym Once A Week For Brain Health?! 

In an ideal world, we can all exercise for an hour or more every single day.

But we do not live in an ideal world particularly those people who work more than one job, have parental or carer responsibilities, work shifts or just don’t have the physical capacity.... 

But there is good news... you might not need to smash out a gym session every single day to get benefits for your brain health.  

A new study published in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine suggested that even one exercise session per week could help to protect against cognitive decline, with one weekly 30 minute workout being enough to reduce mild cognitive impairment by 13%! 

Researchers analysed the exercise routine of 10,000 participants and followed them up for 10 years. A decade later, when running tests on their brain health (concentration, memory etc) they gave each participants a cognitive function score out of 30.  

It turned out the once or twice a week, “weekend warriors” have low levels of mild cognitive impairment despite only exercising 1-2 times a week, similar to those who exercised 3 times a week! 

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t exercise more if you can but provides interesting insights to support those who are busy and can’t exercise as regularly as they would like to.  

What we do know from the study is that those who did zero exercise had the highest rate of mild cognitive impairment (not dementia). 

So, TL:DR... exercise as much as you can (obvs) but remember that even once a week provides benefit for brain health if that’s all you can manage! 

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Hit My 30s.. 

1. Do your best, but not more than your best.

   Going above and beyond is a myth.

   If you only have 70% to give, and you give it your all... that is 100% of your effort. If you try to do more than your best, you miss out on life and risk burning yourself out.

   When I first started out in surgery I would stay hours after my shift to keep doing more surgery, sometimes missing out on going to the gym and seeing friends and family. It took the fun out of life.

   It’s ok to have external goals like I did but don’t forget to set your own internal goals and achieve fulfilment. 

2. The path you are on may not always make sense especially when you compare yourself to those around you that seemingly have made better choices, but your path is unique.

   It will make sense eventually.

   For me my biggest demons to get me off track haven’t been external factors, but my own self doubt and indecision. 

3. Success is not linear. More work doesn’t always account to more success.

   Success can be like the teeth of a chainsaw... you’ll have sharp ups and downs but the key is persistence.

   When I was younger I had a sense of entitlement; I’d worked hard at school, got into a great medical school... I worked hard in medical school and landed a great job as a doctor... I worked hard as a doctor, published lots of papers, finished my surgical exams early....

   The universe has to give me what deserve, right?

   No.

   The world isn’t fair and never expect it to be. Be persistent. 

You Don’t Need 8 Hours of Sleep A Night (probably..) 

Every single person reading this message does NOT need 8 hours sleep a night. 

You might need 7, 8, 9, 6.5 or even 9.5 hours of sleep or anywhere in between! 

There is no one size fits all magic number and we also know from research over the last 2 decade or so that children and teens need more than adults! 

Don’t stress about specific numbers. The best marker of good sleep is how you feel when you wake up.

Do you feel refreshed and have energy? If so, you’ve probably achieved your sleep quota.  

In my experience, I’ve found obsessively tracking sleep, clock watching and aiming for “targets” can be stressful and counter productive for good sleep.  

Instead of arbitrary targets, focus on sleep habits and sleep hygiene.. you know the advice about cutting out electronics 1-2 hours before bed, being mindful of caffeine intake 5-8 hours before bed etc... 

P.S If you want a deeper dive into improving different aspects of your health, check out my podcast Dr Karan Explores...I speak to different experts every week to get the best advice to improve your life:

The Story of The Lost Horse... 

Most of my beliefs about the world has been influenced by eastern philosophies, Hinduism and Buddhism as I grew up.

I’d like to think in some aspects this has been helpful and even at my lowest, it’s something I’ve leaned on to shift my perspective and pick myself back up. 

One popular parable in Daoism which is a manifestation of karma and dharma and has lots of parallels with other eastern philosophies and stories, is the tale of the lost horse: 

Once, in a quiet village, there lived an old farmer. He was known for his wisdom and calm demeanor. One day, his prized horse, broke free and disappeared into the wilderness. His neighbors came by, full of sympathy and lamentation. 

“Oh, what terrible misfortune!” they said. 

The farmer, with a steady voice replied, “Who can say if it is good or bad?” 

Days passed, and the horse returned, bringing with it a group of wild horses, strong and untamed. The villagers, wide-eyed with surprise, congratulated the farmer. 

“What great fortune you have!” they exclaimed. 

Again, the old farmer,  said, “Who can say if it is good or bad?” 

Time flowed as it always does, and one day, the farmer’s only son, while trying to tame one of the wild horses, was thrown and broke his leg. Once more, the villagers came, their voices thick with sympathy and despair. 

“What terrible luck!” they said, shaking their heads. 

And the farmer, said, “Who can say if it is good or bad?” 

Not long after, the region’s warlords called upon all able-bodied young men to join a distant and brutal war. The farmer’s son, because of his injury, was spared. As the village sent its young men into the uncertainty of battle, many did not return. The villagers, now wiser from observing the farmer’s equanimity, marveled at how his initial “misfortune” had saved his son’s life. 

They came to him and said, “You were right, old man. What seemed like misfortune was a blessing.” 

The farmer only nodded..., “Who can say if it is good or bad?” 

The story of “The Lost Horse” embodies the Daoist principle of embracing life’s changes without clinging to the labels of “good” or “bad.” It is a reminder of the transient nature of all things. Sometimes  what may seem like a setback could unfold into an unexpected gift, and apparent blessings may carry hidden challenges. 

The farmer’s acceptance of each event as it comes, without judgment or attachment, is a living reflection of Wu Wei—the Daoist concept of accepting the flow of life.  

It teaches that true wisdom lies in trusting the unfolding path... i.e. ”trust the process” 

How To Improve Your Memory... (including remembering this!) 

1. Start taking quick notes anywhere you can as soon as you learn something or have an idea. Everytime I stumble upon something interesting, have a conversation which lights me up I draft an entry in my notes app. This way your entire knowledge based becomes accessible at the touch of a button – your second brain 

2. Optimise your environment:

   1) If you listen to music, listen to music without lyrics to optimise memory retention and learning

   2) keep your phone in airplane mode or preferably out of sight

   3) use smell as an adjunct to learning. There’s some evidence using aromatherapy diffusers (peppermint for example) can stimulate the olfactory system which is closely linked to memory.

   4) hydrate – even a 1% reduction in hydration levels can impact memory, focus and alertness 

3. Learn something so you are capable of teaching it to a child. When you learn something, teach it to someone else who is either a child or not versed in the subject.

   If you can’t go back and re-learn/full in knowledge gaps as required to simplify it further in your head.

   To really optimise this, don’t just read something, add in audiovisual cues, demonstrate it, discuss it with other and practice it by doing (kinetic learning) then finally teach it to other. Involving a multi-directional learning model enhances your memory. 

4. Spaced repetition: Review the study material in short systematic bursts. This way you’ll incorporate more into your long term memory. When I’m in the midst of learning I focus for 40 mins and take a 20 minute break as a cadence. 

My Book for the Week: 

The Three Body Problem – Liu Cixin 

I started off my reading Keanu Reeves’ new book but 20 pages in I was struggling to sink my teeth into it. I didn’t have the patience to continue at the time but I will come back to it because I feel it could be a slow burn. 

Instead I've gotten into the three body problem by Liu Cixin. Now this book has since been acapted into a popular Netflix series by the same name. The series is a fantastic watch but so far the book is leagues better! If you haven’t watched it, highly recommend reading the book first. 

A very quick promise: It is a sci-fi, fiction book that explores what would happen if humans made contact with an advanced alien civilisation and the consequences of this for the world. The book is presented in a non-linear chronological order but it is incredibly gripping.  

P.S If you’re looking for a non-fiction ready to learn more about health and your body, check out my book here:

P.P.S If you’ve already read it, drop a review on Amazon!