If you’ve been on this earth for a few decades, chances are your brain has already reached its peak cognitive abilities in several ways. By age 19, information processing has already peaked and will start to decline. Likewise, short-term memory starts to decrease after age 35. Still, your accumulated knowledge will remain pretty intact until your 60s or 70s, after which you may start to notice a decrease in your ability to recall facts. In this article, we’ll teach you how to keep your mind sharp as you age.
When to See a Doctor
While cognitive decline will affect everyone’s life in some way, it’s possible to delay if you take the right steps. To be clear: we’re not saying we can tell you how to prevent dementia diagnoses. While those are associated with cognitive decline, they are a distinct set of conditions that can be fatal.
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms, consult a doctor:
- memory loss
- difficulty with concentration
- challenges with familiar, daily tasks, especially ones that used to come easily
- confusion
- struggling to understand a conversation or remember words
- mood swings, especially when this is not usual for the individual
These symptoms may be indicative of dementia or another neurological condition.
How to Keep Your Mind Sharp As You Age
Keep Learning
Your brain operates by firing signals in between its different parts. To accomplish this, it creates new neural pathways every time you learn something. Plus, the neural pathways become stronger the more you do something.
But your brain has a clever way of staying efficient. So that it doesn’t become overloaded, your brain naturally eliminates (or “prunes”) neural pathways that you don’t often use. That’s why you become rusty at a skill after not using it for a while.
Pruning takes place even as you age, so the best way to stay sharp is to keep learning and practicing new and existing skills.
In particular, learning an instrument can be very good for keeping your brain sharp. Music causes activity in several areas of your brain, and consistent playing and listening to music keeps those areas well-maintained.
If you don’t have the time or motivation to learn a new instrument, try getting good at a cognitive game, such as crossword puzzles or sudoku, instead!
Manage Stress
It’s hard to avoid stress. From demanding work schedules to family obligations and even the news cycle, most of us run from one thing to the next with little room to breathe and then wonder why we feel so on edge at the end of the day. Worse, high levels of stress put you at a greater risk of cognitive decline.
Keeping your stress manageable should be a top priority if you want to know how to keep your mind sharp as you age. While you might not be in control of everything, you can start introducing mindfulness practices, such as meditation or yoga, and indulge in calming, creative activities.
Eat the Right Foods
Food isn’t just fun; it’s fuel for your whole body, brain included! So, when you eat the right foods, you’re empowering your brain to work harder and stay sharper. Concentrate on adding whole grains, leafy greens, berries, and fish to your diet to support better brain function.
Eating brain-boosting foods is essential, but supplements can help fill any nutritional gaps. iHerb provides access to a variety of options like omega-3s, B vitamins, and antioxidants, which may support cognitive health and complement a well-balanced, age-conscious diet.
In addition, stay hydrated! Dehydration can lead to brain fog and memory problems.
Get Good Sleep
Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep every night for their brains to function well the next day. So, start setting regular bedtimes and getting up around the same time every day. That way, your brain will be ready to tackle the day and have plenty of time to process everything while you sleep!
Meet with Your Social Groups
Socializing may reduce the decline of neural circuits in your brain, helping you avoid premature cognitive decline. In addition, laughter reduces stress, leading to less of a risk of your brain function going down prematurely. So, make a group of friends you enjoy being around, take some hobbies together, and enjoy!
Get Regular Checkups
One of the best ways to prevent premature cognitive decline involves going to all your regular appointments and getting screenings. That way, your doctor can catch any cognitive dysfunctions early on and give you treatments to slow them down.
Now that you know how to keep your mind sharp as you age, it’s time to take care of the rest of your body! Check out our tips for self-care!
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