How To Keep Your Brain Healthy As You Age

As we get older, our body can begin to lose its vitality and start to slow down.

It’s often assumed that the brain will do the same but there are plenty of things you can do to help keep it sharp and stay focused.

As you get older, you gain a lot more knowledge, so it’s important that you can access it all.

Here are some great ways to keep your brain healthy.

Stimulate your brain

Just like any of the muscles in your body, the only way to keep your brain healthy and strong is by exercising it.

Research has shown that regular brain stimulation helps to create more impulses between brain cells, thereby improving the overall functionality.

There are plenty of ways to do this.

Puzzles and problem-solving activities, for example, can help keep you sharp.

Watch your blood pressure

Blood pressure can have a big impact on your health in general but the brain is particularly affected by it.

It has been shown that high blood pressure during the earlier stages of life can cause reduced cognitive functions later down the line.

Always strive to reduce your blood pressure by keeping active and minimising stress.

Lower your cholesterol

Studies have linked excessive levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) with dementia and other brain conditions.

Cholesterol is often overlooked but if you want to ensure that your brain stays healthy well into your golden years, it’s vital that you track it and make regular efforts to minimise it as much as possible.

Don’t worry, be happy

This idea is more than just lyrics to a cheerful song.

In fact, research has shown that reducing stress, improving social connections and generally feeling happy can help improve brain functionality and reduce the risk of things like dementia later in life.

This can often be easier said than done but try to do things that make you happy and reduce your stress levels.

Avoid tobacco and alcohol

Using tobacco and ingesting excessive amounts of alcohol can have very negative effects on the brain, especially if these habits are carried out over a long period of time.

It may not seem like much of a risk when you are younger but if you want to keep your mind sharp as you age, be sure to avoid any kind of tobacco and minimise your alcohol consumption.