As we get older, changes occur in all the parts of our body. Not just the changes that we see looking in the mirror every morning, but changes on the inside too. We all feel aches and pains but something we don’t feel is certain parts of our brain shrinking as we age, including the parts that are important for learning and other complex mental activities. 

According to the experts, our brain starts to shrink in our 30s and 40s, and I’m sorry to tell you that the rate at which it declines speeds up as we head into our 60s. 

One of the most common fears of aging is developing dementia or Alzheimer’s, however mild cognitive impairment – which includes problems with memory, language and judgement – is also something that we need to be aware of.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, there are things we can do to keep our brain in check and lessen the frequency of those ‘senior moments’ and potentially developing a brain illness.

Firstly, get mental stimulation. 

That might be through a word game on your phone, a puzzle or simply reading a book. According to research from Harvard Medical School, any mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. Activities that get you thinking stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even generate new cells. 

Not only could you do a puzzle like some crosswords and sudoku’s, but you could also learn a musical instrument or write down a word you don’t know and find out what it means. 

Mental stimulation is just as important as getting a sweat on. 

Using your muscles helps keep your brain young. Exercise helps your brain directly with its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation and stimulate the chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells and the growth of new blood vessels in the brain. 

Indirectly, physical activity improves your mood and sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. 

Many studies have found that the parts of the brain that control thinking, and memory are greater in those people who do exercise compared to people who don’t. 

What goes hand in hand with physical activity? Diet. 

Good nutrition helps your body, but it has a huge effect on your mind as well. Your body and your mind need the right fuel if they’re going to function to the best of their ability. 

Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants has been proven to nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress – the “waste” produced when the body uses oxygen. Having a good, nourished diet also makes you feel a lot happier. 

Improving your blood pressure and blood sugar keeps your brain healthy too as high blood pressure increases the risk of cognitive decline in old age and diabetes is an important risk factor for dementia. 

Cholesterol is also an important one to keep in check – high levels of “bad” cholesterol, LDL, is associated with dementia.

The experts also encourage us to avoid tobacco for a healthy brain and not to abuse alcohol by sticking to a maximum of two alcoholic drinks a day.

Lastly, the key to a happy brain is some happy emotions.

People who are anxious, depressed, sleep-deprived, or exhausted tend to score poorly when it comes to brain health. While those poor scores don’t necessarily predict an increased risk of developing cognitive decline in old age, good mental health is important to have. It encourages us to go out and do physical activity, eat well, and get plenty of mental stimulation.

Now, don’t let all that advice fall on deaf ears…

Consider this article your mental stimulation for the day!