Hi Everyone!
It is well known that as we get older we are likely to lose some mental acuity.Also, it is common knowledge that changes in lifestyle can provide incremental benefits to both mind and body.Such lifestyle changes include: taking both regular physical and mental exercise and following a Mediterranean diet.
Perhaps you are older and you find you have more time now, with family or career commitments much reduced, and you are able to think more about yourself and your wellbeing. Although holding back the years is much like the task of the unfortunate Sisyphus of Greek mythology, who was destined to fail in keeping a stone he had to roll up a hill from rolling back down again, you can work at preventing cognitive decline. The following 21 suggestions of activities and interests may help you to look after your brain’s health.
Daily mental workout
1. Read – researchers suggest this activity, also writing and other brain-stimulating activity, will help preserve memory at any age.So, read every day, almost anything will do but the more thought-provoking the reading material is the more positive the effect on cognition.
2. News – keeping in touch with both world and local events is important in enabling us to stay connected.
3. Puzzles- here again, mental stimulation is key and crosswords and other word puzzles can provide this benefit.
4. Hobbies – an absorbing hobby or learning will not only provide an enjoyable experience but it will develop a healthy curiosity in the chosen activity.Latest scientific research in the field of cognitive neuroscience finds that curiosity brings its own reward. It did for Albert Einstein.
5. Use your brain – try not to rely on devices like electronic calculators for, say, solving easy questions of mental arithmetic.Some memory ‘hacks’ like mnemonics and similar aids provide good mental health exercises.
Daily physical activity
1. Walk – walking will help to keep the mind clear and improve brain function.Walk as much as you can during the day.As an incentive try to measure your daily walk rate against the standards prescribed for health. However it is not necessary as we become older to push ourselves to the limits of our endurance.For most of us regular walks which of course involve essential movement for health will help maintain our mental acuity.
2. Swim – this provides excellent exercise which is reasonably stress-free on the body and is fun. Widely considered as one of the best forms of exercise for everyone.
3. Tennis – again excellent for a physical workout at whatever level of skill and ability you have.
4. Yoga or Tai Chi – these can require some basic technical knowledge and training but this can be obtained in a group activity which in itself provides a beneficial social side.
5. Gardening – this can become your hobby and will encourage an interest in nature and a love of the outdoors.
New Challenges
1. Mindful learning – being aware in the present can greatly aid in warding-off unhealthy stress.
2. Learn a language – although a greater challenge to older people the mental exercise
3. Art– this provides visual stimulation
4. Chess – learning to play will improve cognitive skills studies have found.
5. Career change but no retirement
6. Music – auditory stimulation
7. Volunteering – internal post
8. Switch hands – challenge your brain if you are normally right-handed when carrying out daily manual tasks by trying to use your left hand frequently so to develop this dexterity.
Relaxation
2. Sleep – according to Dr. Matthew Walker, author of ‘Why We Sleep’, the unequivocal message is: sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body each day.
3. Cooking – another activity that anyone can engage in and enjoy even as a hobby.
4. Film and theatre
This is not an exhaustive list and of course, some of these activities or interests may not be appropriate or of interest to you. Enjoying what you do has to be uppermost.Nothing should be a chore, otherwise, you will not stay with it for long and the early effort will be wasted. If you choose an activity which requires you to engage in unaccustomed physical exercise, it is essential for your health’s sake that you seek the advice of your doctor before taking it on.
Wishing you all the best for a healthy or healthier year ahead and beyond.
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