Good Lifestyle

As they get older, preserve and promote your cognitive health becomes more and more important. And although there are countless tools and programs that claim to keep your mind as you are aging, experts say that the most important things you can do are actually simple, accessible and free. Not only do these daily interventions promote excellent cognitive health, but many of them also contribute to better overall health and the decrease in mortality rates all causes. The key, say the experts, is to establish good habits that you can repeat daily.

Wondering where to start? Read the rest to learn the seven easy things you can do every day to keep your mind lively, according to doctors. Your brain - and the rest of your body - will thank you.

In relation: 8 affirmations to feel ridiculously happy every day retired .

Do regular exercise - at least 150 minutes per week - can have a deep effect on your cognitive and physical health.

"Jump, squat, March, raising these arms! The advantages of regular physical activity are so many, especially for our brain health - that, in a sense, exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle medication, "said Scott Kaiser , Md, Director of geriatric cognitive health For Pacific Neuroscience Institute. "Even a ten -minute gust can give excellent results."

To maximize the impact, Kaiser recommends exercises that combine physical and cognitive challenges, which, according to him, are particularly effective in improving memory and brain health. Try to learn and practice a dance routine or cycle a new road to make the mind and body work in tandem.

In relation: 6 hobbies fun at home that will make you more interesting .

Following a healthy diet is another simple daily way to keep your mind vivid as they get older. Especially, The regime of mind is considered to be particularly effective in preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, known as Verna Porter , MD, neurologist and program director For dementia, Alzheimer's disease and neurocognitive disorders of the Saint John Providence Health Center.

"The Diet Mind has 15 food components, including 10" brain health groups ", she explains. green leafy vegetables , other vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, poultry, olive oil, resveratrol (a compound of polyphenol found in wine, peanuts, berries and grapes) and fish in moderation, she says.

In relation: 7 fun games that help improve your memory, say the experts .

According to Porter, the experience of constant stress can have a deep impact on your cognitive health.

"Chronic or persistent stress can actually lead to a decline in nerve cells and even death, which can manifest itself as an atrophy (narrowing) of important memory areas in the brain," she said Better life . "The dysfunction and degeneration of nerve cells in turn increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia." AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

Porter recommends engaging in relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation or yoga, which, according to her, can decrease the harmful effects of stress on the brain.

Kaiser accepts that practicing them mindfulness activities Can help by "slowing down the heart rate, relaxing blood vessels to lower blood pressure, stimulating the immune factors, reducing blood sugar, improving mood, and even more".

In relation: 10 ways to feel calm and happy (this is not meditation) .

Another easy thing you can do every day to keep your mind live is to take time for friends, family and even knowledge. Maintaining your social ties can considerably reduce your cognitive risk, according to experts.

"Social isolation and loneliness have negative health impacts up to obesity, physical inactivity and smoking 15 cigarettes per day and are associated with approximately 50% increased risk of dementia", warns Kaiser. "Just take a moment to connect with someone - even through a brief telephone call - can reduce feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression and provide brain protective advantages."

In relation: 7 Journalization Tips to feel happy every day retired .

One of the best ways to help you in cognitive health is help others . "It turns out that volunteering, restoring it and having a strong sense in life are secret ingredients of healthy aging and some of the most powerful ways that we can improve our brain," says Kaiser.

Porter suggests visiting Body experience ,, Volunteer match ,, American , Or Voluntary.gov To learn more.

In relation: 8 ways to motivate you to take a daily walk .

Creative activities are not only fun and fulfilling, they are also neuroprotective.

"Singing, playing an instrument, painting and writing a poem, are just a few examples of the type of creative expression that improve brain health," said Kaiser. "And although certain activities, such as playing an instrument throughout your life, are associated with a reduced risk of dementia, there are advantages for arts and creativity at all ages. It is never too late for Try something new. "

For more self -esteem advice directly in your reception box, Register for our daily newsletter .

Finally, sleep enough Seven to nine o'clock For most adults - can help you keep your mind.

"Stopping electronic devices, lowering the lights and the thermostat, as well as other aspects of a Healthy routine at bedtime Can improve our sleep, "says Kaiser." The quantity and quality of sleep - did not need to clean the debris, reset neural networks and provide downtime to various brain systems - have deep physiological impacts that have a daily impact Thinking, memory and mood as well as our long -term risk of cognitive decline and dementia. ""

Vernon Williams , Md, sports neurologist And director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, agrees that sleep should be an absolute priority.

"The study after the study has shown that even an hour or two sleep less every night for a few consecutive nights can have effects on the brain that last longer than these few days of disturbed rest," he said. "Delayed reaction times that can put you in danger while driving or working on fatigue and depression," burning midnight oil "can have serious health and brain repercussions," said Williams.