How do you keep your Brain Functioning as You Age?
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, you can step back and evaluate how your mental health is going. Many things brought the topic and concern for mental health to the forefront for just about everyone at every age. As you or your loved ones start to grow in years, it is time to take a good look at what you do to keep your mind healthy and active.
First is first, as you age your brain starts to shrink. Don’t panic as not all parts of the brain shrink at once. However, when you get in your 60s and 70s things can definitely change and not always for the best. Now what do you do? As mentioned before, it is time to take a good mental check on your brain health.
8 Keys to a Brain Healthy
- Exercise Daily.
You have heard this over and over that exercise helps maintain health. It is so important in brain health to MOVE. 30 minutes a day can ward off many issues in brain health. According to Harvard Health, exercising will help you with memory and thinking skills, which are pretty valuable to maintain. Moderate exercise will help you keep physically fit, and also help you keep your brain health intact. Start with walking or dancing and just move. You should strive to move 30 minutes a day to keep yourself physically and mentally fit. If that feels a bit daunting, start with 10 minutes and work your way to 30 minutes. You might surprise yourself and find getting active to be something you love and look forward to everyday. Your mind and physical health is valuable, so give it a try.
- Maintain a Healthy Diet.
It goes without saying, your diet is important for everything. A healthy diet keeps your weight down and deters many diseases too. Therefore, start eating right and remember fad diets are not the answer. Keep your diet balanced and avoid too much of a good thing like sweets or alcohol. Following the proper diet for aging adults will keep you satisfied and a little bit healthier to keep your brain processes going strong longer.
- Reduce Stress.
Can you say hello to the word that will help you age gracefully? RELAX. Take time to enjoy nature and relax. Stress can cause the brain to shrink more rapidly, and that is not a good thing. According to John Hopkins Medicine, stress can help promote the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. There are many ways to destress your life, so you can stay calm and relaxed most of the time. For example, participate in activities that help you unwind such as walks in nature, yoga, dance, or socializing with family and/or friends. Making time to relax will help you manage daily stress more easily and keep your brain healthier..
- Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices.
Right now you might think this is mom or dad talking to you, but you need to make choices that help you stay healthy. Sometimes old bad habits are hard to break, but not impossible. First, stop smoking. It is a killer for your health and that includes your brain. Also avoid excessive alcohol, and this is another tough one sometimes, but it kills brain cells, plain and simple. Other choices include foods with additives. Read the labels of your food and make sure you are not filling your gut with bad choices. Furthermore, take time to make sure your other products like shampoo and lotion are not full of chemicals that are hurting your body and your brain.
- Stay Socially Active.
It is vital to have human interaction and you need to keep social with family or friends on a regular basis to keep your mind and body healthy. There are countless studies showing that individuals who maintain a healthy and active social life live longer. Don’t wait for someone to call you. You make the call and start engaging or keep engaging with friends and family, and you will see the results of a happy life and positive brain health.
- Keep Your Gut Healthy.
This sounds a little weird, I am sure, but it is so important. The gut and brain are connected in a variety of ways, and it is essential to have a healthy gut to promote a healthy brain and vice versa. They help each other stay healthy, so probiotics and prebiotics are essential to keeping your gut bacteria on the healthy side. Therefore, a healthy gut helps your brain maintain health as well. Do a little homework on what your gut health looks like. Nutritionists are trained to help with this, so take advantage of their expertise to have a healthy gut.
- Keep the Learning Process Going.
Learning helps the brain grow and develop. As you age and this was mentioned before, your brain starts to shrink. However, continual learning can help counter that and help keep your brain healthy. Learning is always good, and the aging population that reads, learns, and studies tends to halve better brain health.
- Sleep is Always Essential.
Finally, REST. You need to rest your mind and relax to maintain optimal brain health. Sleep for the aging adult is not always easy. You might have a tough time shutting down your mind. However, rest is good. The brain and body get rid of daily doses of unnecessary toxins in your body as you sleep. Different stages of sleep help different parts of the brain stay healthy. This does not mean stay in bed all day and your mind will never falter. You should be in bed to sleep and keep your mind healthy not to waste time. Keep your bed for resting and not for iPad research or games.
Bottomline. To keep your brain healthy, you have a several factors to consider and control. Ultimately, you are in charge of your health; therefore, take charge and make good choices to keep your brain and your body healthy to live a long and happy life. Aging gracefully is a gift and why not enjoy the gift and take care of yourself. If you need more help with the aging process or making decisions for you or an aging loved one, contact Ann at Senior Living Options. She is an expert in guiding you to the best aging process and living for you. She knows everyone is different and needs their own individual process in the next stages of living.
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