Although you didn’t have a say in the brain you were born with, you can certainly impact how well it functions.

With exams kicking back into gear and midterms looming, maximizing your brainpower is a necessity. Unfortunately, medical professionals have yet to make reality out of the brain-empowering pill from the movie “Limitless,” meaning we must use traditional methods to amplify cognitive activity.

Three of the biggest determinants of how well your brain functions are the amount of daily sleep you get, how frequently you exercise and the quality of your diet. If you’ve read Fit Facts before, you’ll know these three things are critical for all areas of health.

In terms of sleep, many students aren’t hitting the sweet spot of seven to nine hours per night. But, finding ways to catch some extra Z’s is likely worth the investment. A recent study by the American Academy of Neurology suggests “improving people’s sleep habits could be an important way to improve brain health.”

Research has also linked exercise to improved cognitive function. When you engage in aerobic exercise, a neurotrophin called brain-derived neurotrophic factor is released. The factor release promotes neurogenesis, the creation of neurons. This increases brain plasticity, which is correlated to accelerated learning and memory. Long story short: You can add “brain benefits” to the list of good excuses to exercise regularly.

As far as diet goes, load up your plate with lean meats, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats like fish and olive oil. According to a systemic review published last year by Epidemiology, “adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with better cognitive function” and “lower rates of cognitive decline.”

Yet, even with these benefits made known to the public, healthy eating is often interrupted by scheduling — especially as the semester progresses.

Students “don’t always get a breakfast, or if they do it’s not always the healthiest breakfast,” said senior management major Daniel Martinez. “Once winter comes and finals start … people’s routine changes [and] they get more stress in their lives.”

Stress is also a major component of brain function; however, contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always have a negative impact.

“We know that if you put a lot of stress on individuals for certain types of tasks, they” perform poorly, said associate psychology professor Leslie Matuszewich. “But, [it’s] problematic to think of [stress] as all bad … some stress is great and it makes you perform much better.”

One final word of advice: Stimulate your brain by introducing it to different events and concepts from time to time.

“There is a fair amount of literature that suggests that when we challenge ourselves by new tasks or new knowledge, it changes our brain in new ways,” Matuszewich said.

Don’t restrict your potential by not treating your brain right.