words Alexa Wang
As we age, it’s extremely important to keep our brains healthy. It’s natural for our mental function to deteriorate as we get older, which can lead to early mental decline. Memory slips are common amongst the elderly but can occur at any age.
However, you can prevent cognitive decline by keeping your mind healthy as early as possible. While forgetfulness can be extremely challenging, studies have shown that you can slow down the effects with regular brain training and improving your [physical health and wellbeing. In this blog, we’re going to list some of the key factors that you may like to try out:
Keep learning
Regardless of your age, you should never stop learning. Your brain should be treated like a muscle and exercised frequently. As soon as we stop absorbing information, our brains will forget how to retain it, which leads to long-term forgetfulness. Experts believe that individuals who are keen to progress their education will limit the risk of mental decline in later years and is one of the reasons why many elderly individuals wish to continue working and volunteering despite retiring many years earlier.
Keeping your brain sharp can also be achieved by hobbies, such as sewing and quilting. You can learn these new skills at any age by browsing how-to-guides and practice your new skills with quilt patterns online.
Challenge your mind daily
Just like physical exercise keeps your body strong, mental exercises help keep your brain sharp. Engaging in activities that require focus, problem-solving, and critical thinking can strengthen cognitive abilities and improve memory retention. Simple daily habits like reading, doing puzzles, or even learning a new language can all contribute to better brain health over time.
Activities like memory games, prevent cognitive decline by keeping your brain engaged and healthy. These games challenge different areas of the brain, improving recall, concentration, and overall mental sharpness as you age.
Get plenty of sleep
Many of us are guilty of not getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night we need; however, once you get into a poor sleeping routine, it can be extremely difficult to get out of it. Sleep plays a vital role in your brain health and function by helping to strengthen recollections while we’re resting.What’s more, it gives your body and mind time to refresh from the previous day to leave you energized and much more alert when you wake up.
Remain social
Staying socially active is essential for keeping our minds active and alert. This is an issue that has been highlighted during the recent lockdown following the Coronavirus pandemic. Many elderly individuals have been confined to their homes and unable to interact with friends and loved ones. Loneliness can lead to long-term depression and anxiety, which in time, can develop into severe memory loss. Whenever possible, aim to get out and about and speak to people – whether it be a passer-by in the street or meeting up with friends. You need regular social interaction to reinforce your brain’s functional abilities, so try and communicate with as many people as you can each day.
Stay physically active
Studies have shown that those who fail to exercise regularly are much more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s in their later years. This is due to the lack of blood flow pumped around the body and into the brain, which helps keeps the mind alert. As an absolute minimum, you should get 30 minutes of exercise every day, which increases your heart rate to improve your mental and physical health.
