As you age, your brain, like the rest of your body, requires extra looking after. Keeping mentally active can keep your mind healthy and agile, but lifestyle choices can help too.
Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and an active social life based around hobbies you love could help you stay mentally sharp for longer. You might even try embracing a brand-new obsession.
Keep reading for a look at seven ways to look after your brain as you age.
1. Stand on one leg
Balance is crucial for mobility and walking relies heavily on being able to balance on one leg at a time. Whatever exercise regime you currently have, incorporate standing on one leg and single-leg exercises. This should improve your overall mobility and allow you to keep exercising into older age.
Building and maintaining muscle mass can also help to keep your brain healthy, so regular exercise is key.
2. Drink more water
Drinking plenty of water keeps you hydrated, which can lower the likelihood of headaches and also improve general brain health.
Be sure to drink water throughout the day, especially after exercise (to replace lost fluids), and avoid caffeine.
Drinking alcohol now and again can provide some much-needed relaxation but there are two general rules:
- Don’t drink alcohol every day
- Don’t drink out of habit.
Only drinking when you’re celebrating, say, creates an unhealthy relationship with alcohol that could be damaging over time.
3. Treat your brain as a muscle
While you should try to exercise physically at least three times a week, it’s important to give your mind a regular and thorough workout too.
Crosswords, sudoku, and quizzes can all help. As can reading and learning new skills, so stay curious.
Teaching yourself something new, like a language or a musical instrument might be harder work as you get older, but the benefits for your brain health could be huge. Plus, you’ll have the joy of the new skill itself.
Just remember, learning is harder as you age so expect a challenge and try not to become disheartened if the hard work doesn’t lead to immediate results.
4. Sleep well
Sleeping well doesn’t just mean sleeping for a long time. The quality of that sleep is important too.
We’ve written about sleep before:
- Why balancing sleep and exercise is so important
- Why preparing your body for the perfect night’s sleep starts the moment you wake up
- The science of sleep: 5 tips for a better night’s rest
The advice in these articles remains valid and important.
Essentially, try to maintain regular routines, a relaxing sleep space, and a balanced diet that fits around an active lifestyle. And be sure to click above for further reading.
5. Relax (even if you can’t sleep)
Modern life can be stressful and it’s not always easy to stay calm, especially when someone tells you to relax.
Try to moderate your stress levels through deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation, and letting go of the things you can’t control.
If you can’t sleep, get up. If work is hectic, take a walk around the block.
Looking after your brain is important and that means looking after all aspects of your physical and mental health.
6. Stay social
An active social life is a great way to keep your mind agile. That might mean daytime walks and nights out with friends, or regular catchups with family. Equally, you might opt to take a new hobby to meet like-minded people. Regular painting or language classes, a weekly sporting event, or even volunteering for a local charity are all great ways to make new connections.
While social media has plenty of negatives, it can also be incredibly useful. You might use it to keep in touch with friends further afield, or for staying connected if you have mobility issues.
7. Find a healthy obsession
Speaking of hobbies and interests, retirement is a great time to find a new passion but also to reacquaint yourself with an old one. Try to find your healthy obsession.
Find an area of interest and learn about it. It might be something practical or entirely academic. You could decide to look at an entire field or subject or hone your interest to look in-depth at one small aspect of a wider topic.
Pick something that you are curious about, and you should find it easy to stay engaged. If your interest starts to flag, though, remember you’re not at school anymore! If you want to move on to a new subject, you’re free to.
Your next obsession could be just around the corner.
