Are You Aging Your Brain?

Aging is inevitable, and that includes the brain. The brain controls every function in our body and cognitive decline can show itself in many ways from little things like misplacing your keys or forgetting an appointment you scheduled to more serious conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s.  There’s never a better time than now to evaluate lifestyle and habits that may be contributing to accelerated brain aging.

While some cognitive issues are inevitable you can put yourself on the right bath and avoid these habits that may be aging your brain.

Lack of Physical Activity

There is a strong correlation between our physical fitness level and our cognitive fitness level. A sedentary lifestyle is not just harmful for your health, it also makes your brain age faster. People who maintain an active lifestyle have healthier brains, especially the areas of the brain that is responsible for memory and cognitive performance. Women who engage in regular cardiovascular activity not only drastically reduce their risk of dementia but also delay the onset as well.

Poor Diet

While we all know it is important to “eat right” for our physical health, it is just as important for our cognitive health. What is bad for the body is bad for the brain. The MIND diet has been gaining popularity among older adults over the last few years after research showed that it can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 53%! The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet that focuses on nutrient-dense, heart- and brain-protecting foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, fish, whole grains, and olive oil.

Lack of Positive Socialization

We are social creatures and loneliness is a growing problem in older adults. It turns out that not getting the socialization we need makes your brain age faster, too. Those who regularly see friends and family reduce their risk of cognitive decline and impairment by 70% over those who keep to themselves. Maintaining social connections and activity helps keep your brain active by navigating the emotional dynamics of relationships. Loneliness also increases your risk of developing mood disorders and other chronic health issues.

Lack of Mental Gymnastics

Use it or lose it really is true when it comes to cognitive health and brain aging. Various brain games such as crossword puzzles and computerized processing gameshave shown to reduce the risk of dementia by as much as 50%. Keeping those neuropathways active and supple helps reduce brain aging and keeps you sharper longer. Learning to play a musical instrument or a new language can be equally beneficial as can periodically challenging yourself with mental math or memorization.

Not Enough Down Time

Stress and sleep deprivation both increase cortisol and age your brain. Anxiety and stress both accelerate cognitive decline and increase risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Unaddressed anxiety was found to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 135%. The more you push yourself without proper rest and relaxation, the more anxious you become and eventually your brain will pay the price. Similarly, brain aging is worse amongst older adults who did not get enough sleep. Your body heals and rejuvenates during sleep, and lack of sleep interferes with the body’s ability to clean the junk (beta-amyloid) out of your brain. Increased levels of beta-amyloid have been strongly linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Taking care of yourself and developing good habits are important not just for your physical health but also your cognitive health in both the short-term and long-term. In addition to the lifestyle and diet changes highlighted above, our Ceremin supplement helps boost memory, sharpen recall, and improves attention span and mood. Take care of your brain and it will take care of you.