2017

6 Ways to Support a Healthy Brain As You Age

6 Ways to Support a Healthy Brain As You Age
As people age, the brain tends to become weaker. Someone is likely to be unaware that the brain needs to be kept healthy, especially as s/he reaches an age of above 50. Is it possible to counteract the possibilities of having a weak brain? It’s up to you to find out.

A healthy brain will promote longevity of one’s life. There are many ways to keep the brain healthy. In this article, you will find the best tips for keeping your brain healthy...

[tweet_box design="box_7"]Motivation is like brain food. You can't get enough in one sitting. It needs continual top ups. - P. Davies[/tweet_box]



6 Ways to Keep Your Brain Healthy After 50


#1 Memorize A Song


Everyone has that one song that replays in their mind. It is referred as ‘LSS’ or ‘Last Song Syndrome’. This is when the last song you heard gets stuck in your head. You might as well memorize the song, so you can sing it as your mind remembers the tune. Memorizing a song is a good exercise for the brain after turning 50 years old, as it helps to improve your ability to memorize and retain information as you grow older.


# 2 Reacquaint Yourself With The Ball


You’re never too old to pump yourself. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body and brain. As you exercise, you burn excess fat and improve the distribution of oxygen inside your body, especially in the brain. When your brain receives the right amount of oxygen, it can maintain consistent performance through the day, months, and years to come.

Furthermore, regular exercise keeps blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol level and mental stresses that increase with aging in check, thus preventing age-decay of your brain. The plasticity, adaptability and efficiency of the brain are increased with the formation of new nerve cells in the brain; an outcome of the regular exercise, as has been found out. So, consult an expert for help arranging your exercise plan.

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You can grow new brain cells. Here's how with Sandrine Thuret


Can we, as adults, grow new neurons? Neuroscientist Sandrine Thuret says that we can, and she offers research and practical advice on how we can help our brains better perform neurogenesis—improving mood, increasing memory formation and preventing the decline associated with aging along the way.

https://youtu.be/B_tjKYvEziI

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#3 Find Ways To Laugh


Always be thankful for what you have. As you grow older, there might be things that you have regretted doing and not doing, but don’t be affected by it. Instead of making yourself feel down, think of the positive things that happened to you.

One of the best ways to keep your brain healthy is to be happy. Never forget to spend time with your loved ones and friends. Encourage yourself to talk to them and laugh with them. Go to comedy clubs or make a habit of watching comedy shows and movies. The science behind is that exhausted, anxious and depressed people are found to score pretty low than positive and happy people in various cognitive and other intelligence test.

Thus it can be concluded that staying happy effectively prevents brain-aging. ‘ Dopamine ’, the feel-good chemical in the human brain, plays the key role in this. Dopamine is proficient in keeping aging of brain tissues at bay. The more we laugh and be happy, the more dopamine is produced in our brain. Hence, making yourself happy keeps an unhealthy brain away.

[tweet_box design="box_7"]Laughing is, and will always be, the best form of therapy. - Dau Voire[/tweet_box]



#4 Change Your Routine


As you grow older, there are certain things you won’t be able to do anymore, such as staying up late, eating unhealthy foods, and drinking some alcoholic beverages. Make yourself a new routine.

In that routine, make sure that you have adequate sleep, eat on time, exercise regularly with the advised exercises for your age, socialize, visit a doctor for regular checkups, and take a supplement like Nootropics for health to maintain your health. Having a fixed routine reduces the possibility of being forgetful because you will become used to it. If you miss part of your routine, you’ll feel like something is lacking.

Plus, a few extra-curricular domestic activities like taking hot baths, massages and green tea every now and then definitely help in maintaining a healthy brain. You can also practice meditation and relaxation sessions daily. These alterations in your lifestyle are mandatory, and if you think about the benefits you derive from these, it is not that hard to make these changes in your routine, isn’t it?


#5 Maintain A Good Sleep


Just because you sleep doesn’t necessarily mean it is a good sleep. There are things to remember if you want to have a good sleep. Before you go to bed, make time to relax. Relaxing promotes smooth sleeping, and you’re less likely to experience nightmares. Have a fixed time schedule on when to sleep and set the alarm on the time you plan to wake up. Make sure it’s a consistent time.

Sleeping less or sleeping too often is not advisable because these practices will weaken your brain’s health. It is like you are making a part of your body work continuously without giving it any rest, resulting in aging out of that part sooner. Studies have shown that depressions, suicides, low decisions making capabilities and other cognitive related deficiency are all associated with sleep deprivation.

Thus, a good, deep and sound eight to nine hours of sleep daily will protect your brain in the long run.


#6 Keep A Positive Attitude


A positive attitude will make your brain healthy since you tend to think about good things. Being positive does not only make yourself feel good but also make the people around you feel good. Everyone possesses an aura. If you’re a grumpy person, just a look from your face is enough to make people avoid you. In contrast, having a positive aura is like a magnet for people. They will want to talk to and hang out with you. One smile can light up the world. Be that smile.

Positivity and belief in oneself are significant stimulants for retaining memory and cognition. Studies have suggested that youth-minded person with a positive belief that they have not aged a bit when it comes to learning and memory capacities perform far at brain skill tests than persons who self-deemed themselves as old and aged. If you adopt the myth that you are too old to recall something or learn something new, your brain will perform accordingly.

Remember, our brain is our processing unit, and it will function the way we want it to. Mind controls everything. A positive approach towards yourself and your cognitive abilities definitely will help you keep your brain intact and sharp despite your age.

[caption id="attachment_25675" align="aligncenter" width="618"]Image Source: LifeHacks.org [/caption]

The bottom-line is "A rolling stone gathers no moss"


Yes. Cognitive decline is obvious with age. Your brain will not be as sharp now at 50, as it was when you were 25. But putting your brain into work, rather than simply avoiding it’s usage with age, will surely prevent or at least slow down the decay due to ageing.

Practice these brain and memory hacks, and stay sharp for the next couple of decades to come.


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Author bio: Anna Brecken

Anna Brecken is a writer for NootropicNation. She has extensive knowledge of Nootropics. She also writes for several other supplement and brain enhancement websites.

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