How to Keep Your Brain Sharp as You Age: 5 Simple Habits That Work

Sitting behind your eyes, is a complex connection of billions of neurons that constantly fire up to store information for future use. But as you grow old your brain starts to slow down. You start facing trouble remembering names and forget where you put down your keys.

Training your brain with mental exercises and fueling it with a nourishing diet are all crucial steps to boosting the brain’s resilience and adaptability. Read more to discover 5 tips to keep your brain functioning properly through the years.

5 Tips to Boost Brain’s Power and Longevity

If you want to ensure that your brain continues to function properly as you grow old, trying the following tips will help you immensely:

1. Use it Or Lose it

How many phone numbers can you recall? For most, it is not more than 3. There was a time we used to memorise phone numbers of our friends and some family members. 

In the tech-driven world, we highly rely on our smartphones to do most of the thinking and storing information for us. But remember, the brain is like a muscle. If you don’t use and challenge it on a daily basis, the neural connections will slowly decline. 

Using your brain to analyse and learn new things everyday helps rewire and strengthen neural connections that boost memory and foster critical thinking over time. Solving puzzles, playing memory games, reading books, and learning new stuff help stretch your brain’s horizons and boost its power.

2. Eat Smart

Our brain is constantly evolving and changing throughout life and it needs fuel for that. Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and protein play a supportive role in cognitive maintenance and function. 

Nuts and seeds, leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables should make most of your daily diet. For additional nutrition you can take fish oil capsules, antioxidants, and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron to boost overall brain health.

3. Don’t Neglect Rest

When your phone is lagging you refresh, recharge, and restart it. The same is the case with your brain; it needs rest and refreshment to recharge itself. A long restorative sleep of 7-8 hours in every 24 hours is a must to provide the much-needed rest to your brain. Naps are also great for refreshing your mind mid-day and avoiding brain fog when your senses get overwhelmed.

4. Do Preventive Care

Regular checkups and scans are important to prevent serious brain illnesses. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s or if you experience frequent headaches, dizziness, seizures, weakness, etc., regular screenings are the crucial proactive steps for preventing any long-term harm to the brain health.  

5. Learn to Manage Negative Emotions

Poorly managed negative emotions such as anger, depression, worry, etc., can impair cognitive function and affect brain function. To improve your emotional regulation and brain health, focus on understanding your emotions, developing coping mechanisms, and seeking professional help if needed. 

Trying therapeutic practices like yoga, meditation, journaling, expressing emotions in a safe environment can all be healing experiences for cognitive health. You may also take health boosters like vitamin D tablets or ashwagandha for better mood regulation and stress management.

To Wrap it Up

Adopting a holistic approach that includes proper nutrition, regular exercise, mental stimulation, and adequate sleep are necessary to improve brain health and boost your cognitive capabilities. Make sure to eat a diet rich in healthy fats, protein, micronutrients to support the growth and functions of the brain. If you haven’t been on track with these tips already, today seems like a good day to start!