They say that exercise is essential, and they are right. However, it’s easy to forget that every part needs to be regularly exercised – including our minds. This is especially true for senior citizens, as research has proven.
Years of research have shown that there are specific methods that, when applied correctly, can help to stave off the adverse mental effects so commonly associated with aging. Here are a few tried and true techniques to help keep minds sharp.
Reading More
Reading can help create intellectual stimulation, and according to Neurology, reading later in life can help reduce memory loss by 32%. Thus, making more time to read is a simple and enjoyable way to help keep a mind sharp.
Continue to Learn New Things
Learning is an integral part of life. Yet, people tend to let their tendency to learn decline as they get older when the opposite is the healthier option. According to a study held by the University of Cambridge, there is a positive correlation between higher education and dementia development.
That is to say, those that sought out higher education paths were less likely to develop dementia later in life. This lesson can hold in other ways, and simply learning a new hobby or subject can significantly help the mind.
Eat Healthy Foods
Eating right is one significant way people can help their minds, yet it is one of the more overlooked options. Healthline suggests considering these options:
- Salmon (full of omega-3 fatty acids)
- Green tea (polyphenols and antioxidants)
- Eggs (vitamins B6, B12, folate, and choline)
- Blueberries (antioxidants)
Tricks to Remember the Important Things
When it comes to trying to remember something important (or simply something that we care about), people tend to repeat it over and over again. However, repeating something out loud, or even writing it down, can have a positive impact on memory.
Additionally, spreading this trick out over time will have an even more substantial effect. For example, repeating a phrase five times in a row, and never again, will not stick as firmly as repeating it once a day. The same can be said for studying or any attempt to gain new information permanently.