Just about everyone will experience some sort of changes in their memory as they age. But, growing research shows that the brain doesn’t take one aging path. Instead, many criteria can influence how and why your brain ages. That means that occasionally losing your keys or forgetting what day it is doesn’t always indicate that you’re on the way to permanent cognitive decline. Memory and cognitive issues fall into three categories:
- Short-term memory lapses associated with normal aging
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), marked by more noticeable difficulties with memory and speech
- Dementia, which involves memory, language and cognition problems severe enough to interfere with everyday life
It’s important to note that while the above are considered stages of cognitive decline, it’s not a foregone conclusion that everyone will go through each stage. In fact, four out of five older adults won’t ever experience anything more than temporary memory lapses or “senior moments”. 15 to 20 percent will progress to MCI, and no more than half of them will develop the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease.
There’s no known way to reverse MCI, and there are currently no treatments or cures for Alzheimer’s disease. Increasingly, researchers are exploring ways that people can manage their risk of developing cognitive problems with lifestyle changes and healthy choices. That’s good news for those looking to reduce their risk of serious cognitive decline.
More and more, we’re deepening our understanding of what we can do every day to protect our brains for years to come. We encourage you to make a resolution to keep your mind healthy and active in 2020 (and beyond) by following any of the tips in this article.
Stay active
Physical activity benefits the mind as much as the body. Studies have suggested that people who exercise often have an increase in volume of brain regions that control thinking and memory. Aerobic exercise, like walking, running or using an exercise machine, also boosts the size of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is vital in verbal memory and learning.
Even if you don’t exercise often, anything goes when it comes to physical activity. Simply taking a walk around the block, swimming laps or making a habit of taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a big difference. You can also work with one of our health coaches at a fitness consultation to develop an exercise plan that fits your goals, or attend any of our healthy living classes.
Eat well with the MIND diet
The MIND diet is a hybrid of the popular Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diets, and is intended to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Research shows that even moderate adherence to the MIND diet is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The MIND diet consists of ten foods to focus on, and five foods to avoid.
Foods to focus on:
- Green leafy vegetables
- All other vegetables
- Berries
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Whole grains
- Fish
- Beans
- Poultry
- Wine (limited to one glass per day)
Foods to avoid:
- Butter and margarine
- Cheese
- Red meat
- Fried food
- Sweets
While nobody knows for sure why the mind diet works, the scientists who created the diet think it may work due to reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation.
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals, or unstable molecules, accumulate in the body and damage cells. The brain is especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals. Antioxidants, such as those found in berries and leafy greens, along with vitamin E, found in olive oil and nuts, are thought to protect the brain from oxidative stress. Diets high in trans and saturated fats, sugar and processed foods (the very things the MIND diet is designed to avoid) raise a person’s risk of oxidative stress, and can harm the brain.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and infection. Under most circumstances, inflammation is a good thing—it’s a sign that the body is mounting an immune response and preparing to fight a harmful pathogen. But, if it’s not properly regulated, inflammation can do more harm than good and contribute to many chronic conditions. Many of the foods in the MIND diet, such as berries, fish, leafy greens and nuts, have anti-inflammatory properties.
Practice mindful meditation
Research shows that regular meditation can improve focus, attention and working memory. Multiple studies suggest that meditation helps engage new neural pathways in the brain, increasing mental flexibility. This brain exercise requires no equipment, and in many cases only takes a few minutes out of your day.
Not sure how to start? Here’s an easy five-minute meditation for beginners:
- Find a comfortable chair or bed.
- Sit down, close your eyes and focus on your breath, feeling the sensation as you breathe in and out.
- If your mind begins to wander, simply bring your attention back to your breath.
- After five minutes, open your eyes and observe how your body feels.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t “get” meditation right away. Consistent practice is key in achieving the benefits of mindfulness. This could mean meditating for as little as 5-10 minutes a day, every day. Before long, you’ll likely notice that you feel more relaxed and attentive during the day, and your brain will thank you for it.
Adopt healthy habits
Making real, lasting changes starts with adopting healthy habits. You may not be aware of just how much your everyday choices make an impact on your brain, but chances are, you’ve got at least one unhealthy habit that could be changed. Things like smoking, drinking alcohol and not getting enough sleep can physically damage your brain and deplete your cognitive reserve.
The good news is, it’s never too late to adopt healthy habits. Try and incorporate the following into your day to day routine.
- Control your portion sizes and drink plenty of water
- Limit the use of alcohol
- Stop smoking or using tobacco
- Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night
- Avoid a sedentary lifestyle by aiming for 60 minutes of physical activity a day
- Manage chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Use it or lose it
A study followed people in their 70s and 80s with no cognitive impairments or dementia. Participants were asked how often they did activities that required active mental engagement, including crossword puzzles, reading, writing, playing music and card games. At the conclusion of the study five years later, those who engaged in these activities often were half as likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than those who rarely engaged.
The takeaway? Your brain is a muscle. If you stop exercising it, you’ll lose cognitive strength. You know what they say: “Use it or lose it”. Challenge yourself to constantly learn, grow and actively use your brain to solve problems. Here are a few ways you can do it.
Brain challenging puzzles and games
Crossword puzzles, Sudoku and jigsaw puzzles are not only a great way to pass the time—they’re good for your brain, too. Jigsaw puzzles are especially useful for improving short-term memory. When you’re putting together a puzzle, you use your short-term memory to remember shapes and colors while hunting for where each piece goes. The more puzzles you do, the more your short-term memory gets a great workout.
Learn something new
You’re never too old to learn something new. Obtaining new information and engaging in new learning activities generates new dendritic connections between neurons in the brain. Dendrites resemble branches, and carry impulses, or signals, from nearby cells back to the neurons. With new neurons and dendritic connections comes neurological plasticity, which refers to the brain’s flexibility or ability to change. Neurological plasticity is key in helping your brain counter cognitive challenges as you age.
Hobbies and skills
Activities that involve both manual and physical dexterity are a great way to stimulate the brain. This can include learning to draw, paint, knit or sew, play an instrument, garden and more. Anything that involves your hands and your brain working together to finish a task challenges your brain. If you’ve never tried the activity before, that’s even better! Trying something for the first time adds an extra cognitive challenge as your brain works to form new connections and memories.
Lifelong learning
Lifelong learning programs make it easy to study a variety of topics and enjoy the experience of learning, without having to worry about grades or course credits. Of course, if you’d like to go back to school and pursue a degree, that’s always an option as well. In fact, many colleges and universities offer tuition waivers for retirees wanting to enroll, and often allow older students to audit a class for free if there’s space. If you opt to go back to college, you’ll be in good company: about 2.9% of all students enrolled in undergraduate institutions across the country are at least 50 years old.
For a healthy mind and body, trust Sun Health Wellness
Sun Health Wellness develops and implements industry-leading, community-based health and wellness programs to foster health and wellness. Our comprehensive wellness services can help you keep your mind and body working at their best. Working with one of our Wellness Advocates can help you develop a clear picture of which wellness services are right for you, and help you navigate your health journey.
