Tips to Help Your Brain Age Gracefully
By Donna Stark
There are many things you can count on to happen during the dreaded aging process. Your hair will turn gray, your skin will wrinkle, and your joints will begin to ache. But what about your brain? Have you given any thought to how well your brain will age? And if you have, what did you come up with? Clearly, there is no way to stop the aging process completely, but there are some things you can do to minimize the effects it has on your brain.
Maintaining Good Brain Health
Just like everything else in your body, your brain will go through specific changes during the aging process. Portions of it will shrink in size, communication between its cells will become less effective, and blood flow will decrease. Sadly, you could be looking at some serious issues in the future depending on how significant these changes are, but with the following suggestions, maintaining a healthier brain is possible. Take a look.
- Daily exercise - Daily exercise is vital for optimal brain health, so get moving! Try to incorporate a walk into your lunch hour, hit the gym for a quick swim, or head outdoors over the weekend for an uplifting hike with the family.
- Nutritious diet - You aren't just fueling your body with food, you are also feeding your brain. A well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 will keep you on the healthy brain track!
- Mental exercises - You give your body a workout, so why not your brain? After all, it is a muscle! Keep your brain stimulated by completing puzzles, staying busy with hobbies, or participating in activities that specifically engage your cognitive abilities.
- Quality sleep - Have you ever had those really hard days when your brain becomes too tired to think? If you have, you can understand the impact sleep has on your brain then! Sleep is critical for optimal brain health. It can help improve memory and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
- Stress - In addition to all the other bad things chronic stress can do to the body, it can also kill brain cells and have a shrinking effect on the size of your brain. It's important to take the necessary steps to reduce and manage the amount of stress in your life.
- Connections with others - Nurturing the relationships you have with others is a great way to improve your brain's overall fitness, so plan those coffee dates with friends, speak to your loved ones often, or volunteer in the community.
Helping Your Brain Age Gracefully
You may not be able to do much about those wrinkles, but if you incorporate the suggestions above into your daily routine, you can do a lot of good for the health of your brain. And that will make all the difference in the world when it truly counts!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Peoria, Ariz.