Eliminate overhead lighting, especially at night.
Overhead lighting signals to the brain that the sun is
out. Eye-level lighting in the evening hours (from
lamps, for example) is much more soothing to a brain
that is trying to wind down. We had fires to light our
evenings for four hundred thousand years (some
estimate even longer) but overhead light bulbs for less
than two hundred.^45
Meditate. I recommend being properly trained in
meditation. Whatever style you choose, research
shows it to be a very smart investment. Take the time
to do it right, and you’ll have it with you for the rest
of your life! I’ve written an entire beginner’s guide to
meditation (along with recommendations for good
online courses) on my website at
http://maxl.ug/meditation.Next up in our journey to discover the optimal brain-
building lifestyle, we are going to look at hormones—
which, along with neurotransmitters, guide our moment-to-
moment decisions. They are involved in everything from
mood to metabolism, and understanding them will be the
final piece in understanding the role of nutrition in attaining
your ultimate cognitive birthright.