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Maintain Your Brain: seven science-backed habits to protect mental function
As our brains grow older, accumulated damage exacerbates normal age-related changes, impacting clarity, memory, concentration, and cognitive function, and increasing the risk of neurodegenerative disease. Fight back: maintain your smarts and minimize the effects of aging with seven science-backed habits that help your brain stay fit, focused, and finely tuned for the rest of your life.
- Learn to dance. A sedentary lifestyle is linked with diminished brain function, and studies show regular physical movement significantly enhances cognitive health during aging. Almost any kind of exercise supports the brain; but for targeted (and fun) results, try dancing. The challenge of learning choreographed steps and patterns stimulates neural activity and sharpens memory. Plus, lively dance moves boost circulation, encouraging blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. And listening to music is shown to engage areas of the brain associated with reasoning, improve memory and uplift mood.
- Feed your head. Dozens of studies show foods high in antioxidants and brain-nourishing nutrients minimize cognitive decline and significantly lessen the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Keep blood vessels supple and strong, reduce inflammation and protect your gray matter from neuron-damaging free radicals with brain-supportive eats. Emphasize berries and other fruits, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables and legumes, and add healthy fats from wild salmon, sardines, nuts and olive oil. All are rich in nutrients shown to slow mental decline, increase memory and learning, and enhance overall cognition during aging.
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