As we age, it is important for us to do all we can to ensure that our brains stay healthy enough to help us preserve as many of life’s memories as possible. Regardless of your age, your brain is capable of remarkable feats. It can form new pathways for neurons to travel when old ones die and it can change its existing connections to transfer information more e?ciently. It is constantly adapting and changing throughout your life – regardless of your age or physical condition. Like any other part of the body, though, the brain bene?ts from regular exercise. Here are three things you can do to help yours perform at its best.
Stimulate your brain
Your brain is made up of a superhighway of neural pathways. These pathways help you understand and remember things. They help you solve problems and perform regular tasks. As you age, it’s important to keep your brain active by challenging yourself to learn new things. No matter what you learn – violin, painting, golf, a foreign language, or the art of dancing – any of these things will keep your brain challenged and help you create a new set of memories to cherish.
Exercise
Physical exercise provides oxygen to your brain and can reduce your risk for illness that can lead to memory loss, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also reduces stress and helps develop new neural pathways in your brain that can help improve your memory function. Activities that utilize hand-eye coordination are especially helpful. Sports like golf or tennis are great as is learning to play piano or guitar. You may also notice that a good walk in the afternoon may help you feel more awake and alert later in the day when many people’s brains begin to slow down.
Spend time with friends and family
Relationships are great for stimulating our brains. We experience all di?erent types of emotions when interacting with other people, and all of them are good for enhancing brain function. In fact, the Harvard School of Public Health found that people who are active socially have the slowest rate of memory decline. You may want to consider volunteering, joining a club, getting involved with church groups, adopting a pet, or really anything that helps you to stay connected with other people.
If you have additional questions for yourself or a loved one, Primrose would be honored to assist you. Just visit www.primroseretirement.com for more info or to contact the Primrose closest to you.