For many people, as their bodies age, their brains age, too. And while some of this might be genetic or out of their control, for a lot of people, there are things that can be done to help them fight off the effects of an aging brain and help them stay sharp, whether they’re still living in their own home or are currently in an assisted living facility.
To help you see how this can be done for you or for people that you care for, here are three things you can do to fight off the cognitive symptoms of old age.
Find Ways To Engage Your Mind
Your brain is like the muscles in your body: the more you exercise them and use them, the stronger they will become. Knowing this, you should find ways that you can engage your mind on a regular basis rather than just going through the routines of your day, which can have your brain operating on autopilot.
There are all kinds of things that you can do that will help you engage your mind and give your brain some exercise. Things like puzzles and games are a great place to start. You can also do anything that requires you to learn something new, like a language or a new hobby. Things that test your memory can also be helpful. So if you or your elderly loved one aren’t currently doing anything like this on a regular basis, this is something you should start implementing into your life to help your brain stay young.
Get More Social
We all know that having a strong and active social life is good for people emotionally, but did you know that it’s also great for your biological mental health?
Sadly, many older people get to a point where they aren’t able to be as social as they would like due to physical limitations. But luckily, thanks to all kinds of new technology, even people who are home-bound can have a vibrant social life. So if this part of your life has been neglected, try to ramp this up for your cognitive health and development.
Maintain Overall Good Physical Health
Your overall physical health is also linked to having good mental health. And there are all kinds of things that you can do physically that can and will help you to fight off the effects of aging and be stronger mentally.
Things like having good blood pressure and cholesterol, getting enough vitamin D, avoiding too much salt, eating whole foods, and being physically active can all benefit your brain. For these reasons, you should focus on your physical health just as much as your mental health if you’re wanting to stay sharp into old age.
If you want to help your brain age slower, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you in achieving this.
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