In the grand scheme of health and wellness awareness, the brain is often overlooked. Thankfully, with regular practice of a few key techniques, you can keep your brain strong, and help to prevent long-term mental illnesses like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Like any other muscle in your body, the brain needs regular exercise. The best part is, you don’t have to worry about it aching afterward. Brain stimulating activities can also be a lot of fun. Puzzles, games, regular reading and writing, practicing a hobby and even travelling have proven to be effective ways of challenging your brain and making it work more effectively. Though you can strengthen your brain at nearly any point in your life, these exercises are especially important for older adults.
Diet and physical exercise are also imperative to your brain functioning properly, and especially for the prevention of age-related brain diseases. Since every beat of your heart sends about 25% of the blood to your brain, keeping a good, regular cardio routine is especially healthy. All of that blood carries much welcomed oxygen to keep your brain sharp, and can even increase the production of new brain cells.
There are also brain-training techniques that you probably already engage in on a daily basis. Socializing and spirituality have been proven to not only increase overall wellness, but also improve creative and critical thought. Socializing is something that comes naturally to humans, and has been an integral part of our existence. By socializing regularly, you develop and maintain personal meaning and identity, and simultaneously assist the prevention of dementia. Spiritual practices like prayer, yoga, quiet contemplation or any other exercise that makes you relax and connect with yourself has been proven to reduce stress, thus increasing your ability to clearly think and boost your memory.
Source: Fit Brains