Just like the muscles in your arms or legs, your brain needs to be exercised in order to function properly. Certain activities and lifestyles can help prevent memory loss so long as they are incorporated in a daily routine to keep the mind strong and sharp. Whether you like to complete the Sunday crossword puzzle or you prefer a night out with friends, you're doing your part to strengthen your brain and ward off memory loss as you age.
Step 1
Read. Keep your mind sharp by indulging in the latest mystery or romantic thriller. A report on the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging found that individuals between the ages of 50 and 65 who participated in reading and crafting could lead to a 30 to 50 percent reduction in the risk for developing mild cognitive impairment, a sign of Alzheimer's disease. The study found that reading newspapers and magazine while middle-aged resulted in a 40 percent reduction in the risk for mild cognitive impairment. Pick up a book and exercise your brain for better mental health.
Step 2
Complete a puzzle or take part in strategy games that cause you think. While simple games can be fun, it's the games that cause you to work out solutions, think of the right answer and use your memory that will exercise your brain the most. Crosswords and sudoku puzzles kill time and keep your mind sharp concurrently, says HelpGuide.org.
Step 3
Maintain an active social life. A study performed by Harvard Medical School, with results published in a 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Public Health," found that higher social integration via marriage, volunteer work and contact with children, neighbors in parents was associated with slower memory decline in elderly adults. Conversing with others and maintaining social integration can help you protect your memory.
Step 4
Learn something new. By taking a class, learning a new gardening technique or reading up on a new subject, you actively exercise your brain as you add new information. Make a goal to learn one or two completely new things each year in order to expand your thinking and exercise your brain.
Step 5
Meditate and take time to decrease your stress level. While it's important to exercise your brain and learn new things, it's also important to rest and relax your brain. The Douglas Mental Health University Institute says that one of the side effects of stress is poor memory and cognitive problems, so evaluate your level of stress and find ways to manage your stress more effectively through meditation, breathing exercises and other management tactics.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise Your Brain To Prevent Memory Loss
- HelpGuide.org: Memory Loss and Aging
- American Journal of Public Health: Effects of Social Integration on Preserving Memory Function in a Nationally Representative U.S. Elderly Population
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute: Stress: Causes and Consequences
