6 Ways to Prevent Cognitive Decline
Each week, I share posts that I hope rock your world and get you thinking about how you can live and work more like the future matters. The post most always aligns with my featured guest on A Dose of Positivity. This week is no exception… check out our special guest Betsy Sloan….. after you read this important blog.
What you do in your early adult years can have major repercussions on the health of your brain. Making good lifestyle choices early on can prevent your cognitive abilities from declining as you age. Staying away from drugs, alcohol, and smoking can mean a world of difference.
While sadly, there’s still no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are a number of ways to help slow down, maybe even reverse its symptoms by engaging in brain-healthy activities that protect the brain and urge brain cells to become more active and alert.
1. Stay socially active
There’s no denying how fun it is doing activities with your friends, or even going to new places and meeting new people. We are social creatures. When you connect with others, even through a simple smile or handshake, your brain releases the happy hormone known as oxytocin. This elevates your mood, reduces stress, and boosts cognitive functions.
2. Step outside your comfort zone
As we age, we become stuck in a certain routine. Adults don’t like trying new things, in general, which could be a reason why our brains start shrinking as we age. As kids, we always enjoyed trying new activities and doing things we’ve never done before, but as we grow older, trying new things makes us more uncomfortable. We fear rejection and embarrassment, which reduces brain stimulation and increases cognitive decline.
3. Exercise, eat, sleep
Getting regular exercise comes with a slew of benefits; physical, emotional, and most importantly, mental. It can improve mental processing speed and memory while slowing down, even reversing cognitive impairment. And exercising doesn’t necessarily mean high-intensity, hours-on-end, rigorous movements. It could be a simple 30-minute walk, going for a swim, gardening, or doing yoga. The point is to keep your muscles engaged and your blood pumping for no less than half an hour. Walking in natural green spaces has the effect of lowering feelings of anger, fatigue, and depression and increasing attention levels.
Yes, our diets can be controversial, but I personally believe it is best to maintain a well-balanced diet of organic fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids. Eat fresh and local as much as possible, and stay away from foods high in sugar, carbohydrates, and trans fats.
Studies show that there are foods that improve brain health, such as avocado, olive oil, and spices such as turmeric, curry, ginger, nuts, and berries since they’re rich in phytochemicals which are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. They promote good health and can slow the decline in memory function by aiding the metabolism process of glucose in the brain. It also boosts cognitive signals.
Drinking 2 and a half cups of blueberry juice or concord grape juice daily for 12 weeks consecutively has proven to prevent, even reverse, cognitive impairment and neuronal functioning.
Get an average of 8 hours of quality sleep each night. If you get less than 7 hours of sleep at night, that could increase your risk of cognitive decline in the long run. What you do in your early adulthood years can have a serious effect on your brain health as you age - it’s all connected. A review of observational studies carried out in 2014 states that “healthy sleep appears to play an important role in maintaining brain health with age, and may play a key role in [Alzheimer’s disease] prevention.”
4. Listen to music.
Music engages the right side of the brain, allowing you to focus more on what you’re doing rather than letting your mind wander. It also reduces stress and anxiety. What’s even interesting is that setting words to music improves memory and concentration skills. It also boosts brain processes and can even reverse Alzheimer's symptoms.
5. Play games
Your brain needs exercise to stay young and fit. Mental activities slow down cognitive decline and increase focus and concentration. And now there’s an endless array of mental puzzles to choose from. You can buy them at bookstores and thrift shops or exchange puzzles with friends. Even adding up your grocery bill in your head is a great way to keep your brain pumped and alert.
Reading, learning a new language, or playing a musical instrument are great examples of activities that keep your brain operating at its best. Another great way to create new brain pathways is to try something new, like taking a different route to work or writing with your non-dominant hand. Your brain wants to be challenged, so why not give it what it wants?
6. Spending time in Nature and reducing your stress
Spending time in Nature leads to better mental health, lower blood pressure, reduced risks of obesity and heart disease, and supports your immune system. Being amongst nature is mentally restorative.
Stress levels are often directly related to the amount of time we spend in the natural world. We are less likely to be stressed if we are surrounded by Nature. Seek out nature during times of stress. Nature is a powerful way to access your happy place, and serenity increases within minutes of seeing green spaces, and our stress levels fall. People moving from urban to greener areas have shown an immediate improvement in mental health that lasted for at least three years.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature is extremely important for the health and wellbeing of older adults and can have a particularly powerful effect on the older you get. Nature truly is fuel for the soul and the mind. Spending time in nature can help prevent cognitive decline. Start today before you forget.
A Final Note
While it’s a normal part of life to experience a slight decline in our mental abilities as we age, we have the ability to slow it down. It’s never too early to start, no matter where you are in life so you can keep your brain healthy so you can age gracefully and enjoy every minute of it.
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