Ready for some good news? You have the power to boost your brain health with everyday choices. Keep your brain in top shape with these simple tips for staying mentally fit:

• Get physical. Exercise helps keep you young — from strengthening your heart to bumping up immune response. But science shows that physical activity also promotes cerebral function. Walking just 30 minutes/day can increase blood flow that delivers rejuvenating oxygen and boosts neural activity. Plus, working out lowers the stress hormone cortisol, a depressor of neural growth.

• Get mental. Beefing up your brain requires an exercise in thought… literally. Playing memory games, puzzles, and brain teasers like Sudoku can stimulate synapses. Other research suggests learning a foreign language or musical instrument can help build new neural pathways. But anything that recruits your troubleshooting and problem-solving skills flexes your mental muscle. Even practicing neurobics — doing a common skill in an uncommon manner, like brushing your teeth with the opposite hand — engages processes.

• Get sleep. Besides undergoing repairs while you snooze, your brain uses the REM stage to help encode memories and interpret new information. Facing each day well-rested makes life better. So be sure to sleep for 7-9 hours, consistently.