Ahmed Shaami
With age, your brain changes and mental functions change along with it. With growing age mental decline is common and it is no doubt one of the most feared consequences of getting older. Although, cognitive impairment is not inevitable but through research, scientists have found that brainy activities stimulate new connections between the nerve cells. This stimulation helps the brain to generate new cells and build up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss.
In simple words, any mentally stimulating activity can help to build up your brain. A good diet and physical exercise is also good for your brain but following are the few brain stimulation exercises that can help to maintain brain functions:
Become a lifelong learner:
As you grow older, formal education can reduce cognitive decline and provide brain stimulation to improve cognitive function. In other words, learning something new can increase your mental abilities and help you in many areas of life. You can not only improve your financial position but can also find new friends who share same interests.
Interacting with others:
When you stay isolated, your brain does not need to function much because it is aware of the normal routine. The most complicated task your brain takes when it comes to interacting with people. It requires your brain to listen, think, judge other people’s moods, decide what to answer, read the body language, show empathy and a lot more. This helps to reduce your cognitive decline.
Eating a good diet:
Your thinking is based a lot on the food you eat. When you eat a healthy diet, it helps your brain to perform at an optimum level. Diet that has plenty of fruits and vegetables is found to improve your brain health and help in reducing the cognitive decline.
Getting enough sleep:
Most people don’t give it much importance but lack of sleep can cause a lot of mental problems. Not getting enough sleep can make your anxiety worse and can seriously reduce your brain’s cognitive functions. Therefore, always be very attentive to your sleep routine and adapt the sleeping patterns that can help you get a quality sleep.
Challenge your brain:
For keeping your brain active, play the brain training games in your free time. When you focus on the word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, or logic problems, the use of range of challenges keeps your brain healthy and active.
Take help:
When you find yourself suffering from depression or anxiety, do not hesitate to ask for help and advice that is available for the mental health problems. There is no shame in getting counseling and improving your mental health.
Stay active:
Along with mental exercises, you also need to get moving to keep your brain active. It is because physical exercise is not only good for your body but for your brain as well. It is because when you exercise, it increases the blood flow in your body and boosts your cognitive functions.
