How to Increase Blood Flow to the Brain

Co-authored by Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN and Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: January 12, 2023 References Approved

Your blood carries oxygen and important nutrients throughout your body, so it's really important to have a steady, healthy level of blood flow to your brain. In fact, decreased blood flow to your brain is associated with a number of health concerns, including an increased risk of dementia, depression, and stroke. Fortunately, it's actually possible to improve your circulation and increase blood flow for a healthier brain. This article will walk you through a variety of simple lifestyle changes that can help.

1

Eat more dark chocolate.

The flavanols in cocoa may boost blood flow to your brain. A recent study showed that when participants drank a cocoa beverage that was formulated to be rich in flavanols, they showed increased regional blood flow in the brain. While you might not find that same concentration of flavanols in your favorite candy bar, there can be up to 2000 mg of flavanols in a 3 oz (90 g) piece of dark chocolate.^{[1]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
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- You can also find flavanols in natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder.
- Of course, you should still enjoy chocolate in moderation, and avoid add-ins like marshmallows or caramel that are high in sugar and fat. A good rule of thumb is that you can have about 1 oz (30 g) of dark chocolate a few times a week.^{[2]
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  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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2

Chew gum.

It might sound far-fetched, but there's science behind this. Studies have shown that when a person chews gum, they have increased regional cerebral blood flow to widespread areas of their brains.^{[3]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Research is still being done on how effective this is and what impacts it might have, but if you need to feel a little sharper, popping a stick of chewing gum might be a good idea!

3

Drink beet juice.

Beet juice may help widen your blood vessels. Beets contain nitrates, which are then converted to nitrites in your body. Nitrates help increase the size of your blood vessels, which allows them to carry more blood to key areas of your body—including your brain.^{[4]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
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- Beets contain particularly high levels of nitrates, but nitrates are also found in leafy green vegetables like spinach, cabbage, and lettuce, along with fennel, celery, radishes, and parsley.
- You can still get nitrates from eating these vegetables, so it's fine if you prefer eating beets to drinking beet juice. Drinking the juice just allows you to ingest the nitrates more quickly.

4

Enjoy plenty of berries.

The antioxidants in berries can stimulate blood flow to your brain. Specifically, eating berries seems to increase blood flow to the areas of your brain used for memory and paying attention to tasks. Furthermore, they help protect your brain from oxidative stress, which can deteriorate your brain function over time.
- Try eating 1 cup (150-200g) of berries each day to get brain-boosting benefits. It doesn't matter if the berries are fresh, dried, or frozen.
- Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, mulberries, bilberries, and black currants have all shown promising results in studies.^{[5]
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5

Listen to your favorite music.

Turning on the tunes you love the most can fire up your brain. Studies show that when people listen to their favorite songs, they have increased blood flow to their brains. It doesn't really matter what type of music it is—as long as it's something you enjoy listening to.^{[6]
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- Try listening to a song you love right before you do a task you really need to focus on and see if it helps!
- Learning a new language can also help increase blood flow to your brain by encouraging you to think more.^{[7]
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- Blood flow to your brain also increases when you're reading—although interestingly, different areas of your brain are activated when you're studying than when you're reading for pleasure.^{[8]
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6

Get a good night's sleep.

Your brain gets more blood while you're sleeping. It might seem simple, but just getting enough sleep can help improve your brain health. It's thought that the increased blood flow helps clean out any metabolic waste that accumulated in your brain during the day. That's a big part of the reason why you feel foggy when you stay up too late.^{[9]
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- If you're 13-18 years old, you need 8-10 hours of sleep each night.^{[10]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- If you're 18-60, you need at least 7 hours of sleep every night.

7

Exercise 3-4 times a week.

Any moderate activity will have positive effects on your circulation. You don't necessarily have to engage in strenuous or lengthy sessions to get a benefit—the important thing is that you get up and moving.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician
Expert Interview. 18 February 2021.} Even taking a short walk or spending some time on a stationary bike can help improve the blood circulation to your brain.^{[12]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- Find an activity you really like doing, such as swimming, bicycling, dancing, playing a sport, or walking in the park. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you'll be to stick to it!
- Use a timer throughout your day to remind yourself to take walking breaks.

8

Stretch throughout the day.

Stretching will improve your overall circulation. This will increase the blood flow to your muscles, thereby improving and increasing the circulation to your brain. Try setting aside a few minutes every hour to stretch your body—you might just notice that you feel a little sharper afterward.^{[13]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- Simple stretches that result in increased blood flow to the brain include touching your knees or toes from a standing position. Alternatively, sit with your legs outstretched and touch your knees, shins, or toes.
- When you're stretching, be careful not to do anything that causes pain or discomfort in your back.
- Some people believe that inversion poses in yoga will increase blood flow to the brain, but this has not been scientifically proven.^{[14]
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9

Practice meditation.

Blood flow increases in several parts of your brain when you meditate. That's right, meditating can do more than just leave you feeling centered and focused. There are also physical brain-based benefits to getting in touch with your inner self has physical benefits.^{[15]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- One of the areas stimulated during meditation is your prefrontal cortex. This part of your brain has a big role in controlling your attention span, impulse control, and memory formation.^{[16]
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  Research source}
- You may also benefit from the slowed breathing that usually occurs during meditation, as this increases the saturation of oxygen in your blood.^{[17]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- There are many ways to meditate. An easy way to begin a meditation practice is simply to sit comfortably with your eyes closed, and count your breaths. When you have counted 10 breaths, start over. Focus your entire attention on counting your breaths—when other thoughts enter, simply notice them and let them go.

10

Loosen your necktie.

Wearing a tight necktie can decrease circulation to your brain. You might not notice a dramatic difference if your tie is too tight—your brain will still have healthy levels of blood and oxygen. However, if you already have other risk factors that are causing decreased blood flow, this might be a simple way to help improve your brain's circulation.^{[18]
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11

Get GV20 acupuncture.

GV20, or Baihui, is located at the very top of the head.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} If you're trying to increase the blood flow to your brain, ask an acupuncturist to stimulate your GV20 acupoint. One study showed a significant increase in blood flow to certain areas of the brain after a GV20 acupuncture session. There wasn't any increase in the subjects' arterial blood pressure or pulse, however.^{[20]
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- This isn't something you should try on your own—find a licensed acupuncture practitioner who's experienced with this acupoint.

12

Undergo light therapy.

Light therapy is often used for seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other depressive disorders have been linked to a decrease in brain blood flow. In one study, patients who were responsive to light therapy were found to have increased blood flow to their brains after the treatment.^{[21]
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- You can buy light therapy boxes online. However, it's a good idea to talk to your physician or mental health care provider before you start light therapy on your own, especially if you have SAD combined with bipolar disorder or certain eye problems like glaucoma, cataracts, or diabetic eye damage.^{[22]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}

13

Avoid cigarettes.

Take steps to quit if you're a smoker. Nicotine restricts arteries, which prevents healthy blood flow to the brain. On the other hand, the brain's oxygen uptake and blood flow decrease by up to 17% immediately after people stop smoking.^{[23]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- Smoking has been linked to strokes and brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall.
- E-Cigarettes contain nicotine, which constricts blood vessels and lowers the blood flow to the brain. They are not recommended as a substitute for ordinary cigarettes.^{[24]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Cleveland Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- If you're having trouble quitting, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation aids that may help.

Expert Q&A

Question

I am experiencing numbness in my head during night time. I was operated on for a brain tumor 4 years ago. Is this related to the surgery?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Superficial numbness in your head may be a residual side effect of the surgery. I would check with your surgeon if this continues to be of concern.
Question

I'm taking estrogen for hot flashes and I've been experiencing brain fog. I feel very tired after simply having a conversation with someone. What is going on?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

Perhaps you are feeling a little depressed with this change in life. I would seek out the attention of a trained medical professional so that you can be properly evaluated for menopause.
Question

What kind of exercise will help boost my brain's blood flow?

Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN
Board Certified Brain Health Physician
Michael D. Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN, is an expert on nutritional interventions for brain health, particularly the prevention and rehabilitation of brain injury. In 2012 upon retiring as a Colonel after 31 years in the U.S. Army, he founded the nonprofit Brain Health Education and Research Institute. He is in private practice in Potomac, Maryland, and is the author of "When Brains Collide: What every athlete and parent should know about the prevention and treatment of concussions and head injuries." He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Tulane University School of Medicine. He completed post-graduate training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University, and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Dr. Lewis is board certified and a Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine and American College of Nutrition.

Michael Lewis, MD, MPH, MBA, FACPM, FACN

Board Certified Brain Health Physician

Expert Answer

It's really just about getting your heart rate up. You can do that by lifting weights, walking quickly, or doing calisthenics. You don't necessarily have to run on a treadmill at a hard pace for half an hour.