Rapid growth and development occur between ages 10 and 19, the period of life best known as adolescence. Whereas physical changes are the most apparent among adolescents, their daily lives can also be significantly impacted by other changes in their social, moral, and psychological states. And interestingly, adolescents’ different psychological states can influence their social and moral direction.
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Generally, teenagers experience a host of neurological developments that impact many aspects of their lives, including cognitive functioning and mental health. For instance, a good cognitive function enables an adolescent’s mental capabilities. From there, brain function influences academic performance and paves the way for the next phase of academic studies in an institution of higher learning.
In this post, we’ll consider some aspects that play a role in adolescents’ cognitive and mental health conditions.
Proper Nutrition And Cognitive Function In Adolescents
Poor nutritional uptake from childhood and adolescence is considered a leading cause of poor brain development. It’s advisable that adolescents regularly feed on healthy and nutritious foods, especially since schoolwork can take a heavy toll on the brain. Unfortunately, even for individuals and families that observe a healthy lifestyle, the intake of vital nutrients is often low. The worst case happens with micronutrients.
Micronutrients are vital dietary elements in the form of vitamins and minerals that the body only needs in minimal amounts to enhance different physiological functions and maintain optimal health. The adolescent brain needs to feed adequately for optimal brain development and health.
Some vital nutrients that every teenager should be feeding to maintain and boost their cognitive function and mental health include:
- Proteins: an essential requirement at every level of human development.
- Vitamins including fat-soluble ones like vitamins A, D, E, and K. Not forgetting the vitamin B groups of B6 and B12
- Minerals to develop and balance neurotransmitters in the brain, including major minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. This also includes trace minerals that improve cognitive function, like choline, manganese, iodine, folate, zinc, copper, and selenium.
- Polyunsaturated fats: they support the development of brain cells and include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
All the above nutrients are vital for boosting the mental health of adolescence and even adults as they play a role in preventing common mental challenges with the potential of developing during one’s life. You can check this next page to know how to improve cognitive function and take care of your brain using nutritional supplements.
Neurological Development And Mental Health
The brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These neurons release chemical messengers-neurotransmitters-which are transported to different parts of our bodies to regulate specific behaviors and bodily functions.
Although there are numerous neurotransmitters, some commonly known ones include Dopamine and Serotonin. For instance, Dopamine enables feelings of pleasure, motivation, and rewards, while Serotonin helps to control moods and disorders. Neurotransmitters maintain the brain’s chemical balance which is essential for brain health and mental function.
Neurotransmitters imbalance can contribute to different behavioral and mental health challenges, including:
- Brain fog characterized by lack of mental focus, poor memory, and impaired decision-making ability
- Depression and mood swings
- Fear and anxiety
- Fatigue, binge eating, and addictions
- Insomnia
Brain Health And Cognitive Function
There is a direct relationship between a person’s mental wellness and cognitive function. The adolescence stage is characterized by significant academic learning, where key concepts are taught. This phase is also marked by increased vulnerability to mental health challenges due to poor adolescent brain development, affecting cognitive function.
Optimal brain development is one of the essential factors for academic excellence. Therefore, good brain development in adolescence should be every parent’s or caretaker’s concern because of its impact on cognitive processes that influence learning capabilities.
Beyond learning skills, other cognitive functions that are influenced by an adolescent’s mental health include:
- Capacity to categorize and group different types of information
- Ability to memorize and remember information
- Mental alertness and attention spans
- Logical and critical thinking
Some outcomes of poor brain development include adolescents with learning difficulties rendering costly remedial services a necessity during their schooling life. For instance, poor brain development often leads to below-average critical learning skills, including reading and comprehension, affecting a student’s studies in all subjects.
In Conclusion
During adolescence, the body and brain undergo immense changes requiring proper structural support. It’d be good to note, too, that adolescents are prone to mental health challenges that can impair cognitive processes. Hence, the importance of consuming healthy and nutritious foods during this phase for enhancing cognitive and mental health.
And in some cases, the intake of vital micronutrients necessary to boost brain development is often inadequate, creating a nutritional gap. You can further bridge this gap by using nutritional supplements containing micronutrients, enhancing your teenager’s and other family members’ cognitive function and mental health.