Tips to Keep Your Mind Sharp

May 24, 2018

We all want to keep our wits about us as we age, but what are practical, tangible things we can do to achieve that goal? What steps can we take to not just maintain a sharp mind, even, but better our brains?

As we grow older, we all notice changes in our ability to remember things: names, directions, instructions, etc. We may also experience issues with problem-solving and paying attention. Here are some practical ways to help keep your brain young.

Some Tips on How To Keep Your Mind Sharp

·         Stay calm: Stress is horrible for our bodies and for our brains, in particular. Choosing to “go with the flow” when faced with life’s inevitable stressors, rather than withdrawing and avoiding the stressor (but not the stress) or pushing your body and mind beyond their normal boundaries, is the key to keeping stress from eating away at you.

·         Keep Learning: Whether it’s through continuing to work part-time in post-retirement, throwing yourself into a new hobby (or deeper into an existing one), or volunteering your brain power to a worthy cause that needs strategic help, the adage “use it or lose it” definitely applies to your brain. The more you are learning (and applying new knowledge), the sharper your brain will stay.

·         Because more education has been linked to a lower risk for dementia, you may actually want to consider returning to school as a non-traditional student to audit classes (or even take them for credit towards a degree).

·         Simply reading books is an easy way to keep learning and thereby keep your mind sharp.

·         Minimize drinking: “All things in moderation,” the Greek poet, Hesiod, famously said. This applies to drinking alcohol and the health of your brain. Excessive drinking will damage your brain. Moderate wine drinking, however, can actually help your brain. The key (to brain health) is finding that balance.

·         Quit smoking: Moderation does not apply to smoking, however. Research shows that the best thing for your brain is to quit smoking, seeking help, if necessary, given the memory loss and executive function issues associated with smoking.

·         Exercise: Aerobic exercise (exercise which elevates your heart rate for a significant amount of time) brings oxygen to your brain, essentially feeding it, so it can make new connections and grow healthier. Studies have shown that exercise brings increased cognitive function, a sharper mind.

·         Eat healthy, not SAD: The Standard American Diet (SAD) is high in processed carbohydrates and added sugar, both of which suppress brain function. Carbohydrates, specifically, have been linked to cognitive impairment in the elderly. A healthy diet, though, can actually reduce your risk of cognitive impairment.

·         Fruits & vegetables have been shown to have specific beneficial effects on certain areas of the brain.

·         Antioxidant-rich foods, like strawberries, blueberries, pecans, and countless other foods, have been shown (when drawn from quality sources) to improve brain function.

·         Healthy fats, like avocados, salmon, olive oil, and whole eggs, are flat out necessary for a sharp brain. They enable the brain to function.

·         A specific nutrient in garlic, FruArg, has been shown to inhibit, and even possibly reverse brain cell damage.

·         Whether you take the spice turmeric as a supplement or work to use it more in your cooking, studies have proven that it can provide clearer brain connections, which reduce “brain fog.”

·         Watch cholesterol and blood pressure: Through all of these healthy habits mentioned, you should find that you have lowered cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure (talk to your doctor, if that’s not the case), which should, in turn, lead to better brain function.

·         Repeat what you want to learn: Practically, when you have something you want to learn or remember, like a name of a new person you have met, repetition is key. Using the example of a new name, use the name as often as you can in the conversation, addressing him/her in multiple sentences, for example, and this will help your brain cement the name into your memory.

·         Use mnemonics: All Good Boys Do Fine. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas. My Dear Aunt Sally. Chances are, you know the pieces of information to which these mnemonic phrases refer (the lines of the treble clef, the order of the planets from the sun, and the order of operations in math, respectively). When you have new information you must commit to memory, use a mnemonic device to help it stick in your brain.

·         Prioritize your brain use: As many ways as you chose to help sharpen your brain, it is a finite commodity. Focus your brain’s energy on more important, enjoyable tasks by reducing the amount of time it needs to spend on things like where you left your keys or when you have lunch with Cousin Alfred: put your keys in the same place at home and same pocket of your pants or purse and keep appointments in a paper or electronic calendar.

·         Be happy: Find things that make you truly happy, because scientists have discovered that happiness brings with it a host of brain benefitting actions, like pain relief, better sleep, and (the perhaps obvious) relief from depression.

·         Happiness also helps raise your HDL’s, your “good cholesterol,” which is important for a sharper mind.

“Sharp as a tack,” was one of the highest compliments paid my grandmother, and it’s a worthy goal to want to keep a sharp mind into the Golden Years. Work your way through this list, perhaps choosing something that feels more do-able first and focusing on that until it becomes routine and then, moving on to another addition, until you’ve accomplished most, if not all, of the tips. Do your brain and body the favor of working towards a sharper, healthier mind.

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