5 Activities you can learn to keep your Brain Sharp at any age

The human brain is a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, visions, breathing, temperature, hunger, and every process that regulates our body.

The human brain needs to be active all the time in order to maintain constituency in its work. To make the best use of the brain, a lot of activities should take place in order to keep the brain sharp.

Any mentally stimulating activity should help build the brain. Most of the fleeting memory problems that we experience with age reflect normal changes in the structure and function of the brain. These changes can slow certain cognitive processes, making it a bit harder to learn new things quickly or screen out distractions that can interfere with memory and learning. Granted, these changes can be frustrating and may seem far from benign when we need to learn new skills or juggle myriad responsibilities.

The brain works better when we consider the following activities:

1. Keep Learning

A higher level of education is associated with better mental functioning even in old age. Experts think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. Challenging the brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active but pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill can function the same way. Read, join a book group, play a game, write often, take a class, pursue arts or music, propose or volunteer for a project that involves a skill you don’t usually use: all these can make the brain active and function properly even at old age. Building and preserving brain connections is an ongoing process, so learning should be a priority.

2. Repetition

To something you have just heard, read, or thought about, write it down and repeat out loud. That way, you reinforce the memory or connection. Repetition is most potent as a learning tool when it’s properly timed. It’s best not to repeat something many times in a short period, as if you were cramming for an exam. Instead, re-study the essentials after increasingly longer periods of time. Spacing out periods of study particularly valuable when you are trying to master complicated information. Research shows that spaced rehearsal improves recall not only in healthy people but also in those associated with multiple sclerosis

3. Socialise

Study suggests that people who are socially active are also at a lower risk of developing dementia. Socialising tends to engage multiple areas of the brain and social activities also include physical elements, such as playing a sport that is also beneficial; to your mind. Seeking social interactions can be beneficial to the brain in both short and long-term. Some ideas of staying socially engaged to include signing up for volunteer opportunities in your community, joining a club, signing up for a local working group, and staying in close touch with family and friends.

4. Meditate

This has been a brain exercise that has been in use for thousands of years. This brain exercise is very effective. Mindfulness meditation, in particular, is all the range at the moment, espoused by health practitioners. Studies from 2007 suggest that mindfulness meditation can help engage new neural pathways, resulting in improved self-observational skills and increased mental flexibility. Research also shows that it can help improve attention, focus, empathy, and even immunity. And it also suggests that meditation might even increase the capacity of working memory.

5. Learn New Things

The brain exercise requires a bit of commitment, but it is also one that just might give you the most bangs for your buck. Learning something new is one way to keep your brain on it toes and continually introduce new challenges. Some things you might want to try include learning a new language, learning to play a musical instrument or learning a new hobby. This helps to stretch the mind and expand your skills and become more accomplished.

Lastly, exercising your brain is as important as exercising your body muscles. One way to do this is by active learning. The day you stop learning is the day the brain enters into decline. Stay active with the activities above for a long-lasting healthy brain.

Be sure that you also lower your risk of developing any of the health conditions that affect the brain when you do these activities.

Stay sharp, stay actively learning.