Lasting Memories And How to Keep Your Brain In Shape

There are those who say wisdom comes with age, but that wisdom comes with a price as well. Fine lines, white hairs and failing memory may be constant reminders that age is catching up with us. By taking note of a few tips, we can maintain our mental acuity even as the years take a toll on our bodies. As we grow older, we often find ourselves prone to delayed responses, poorer concentration levels and memory lapses. However, by investing a few minutes on mental activities and exercises on a daily basis, we may just save our brains in time to come. Just like physical exercises, a little goes a long way.

How to Keep the Mind in Tip-top Condition

1. Keep on learning and learn something new everyday. Be curious and be aware of your surroundings. Notice the things around you. Expand your horizons by traveling and exploring constantly. The brain is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Never be afraid of tiring out the brain. It is more resilient than you give it credit for.

2. Develop good sleeping habits. Research shows tha neural connections are made during he deep-sleep stage. Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, brain health and is necessary to improve memory. Sleep disorder like insomnia and sleep apnea leave you tired and unable to concentrate during the day. If you have broken sleep the night before, take a 10-minute nap during the day, it really does perk you up and help you cope with the demands of the day.

3. Be physically active. Regular exercise increases oxygen to the brain, reduces the risk of disorders leading to memory loss, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Even a half hour walk each day improves brain brain fitness. An active lifestyle equals a healthy and active brain.

4. Read. A book or magazine in hand opens up and transport you to a whole new world. Constantly challenge your mind and widen your perspective with reading materials of different genres and listen to differing opinions.

5. Make time for yourself. In Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, he shares “We try o do too much at once. Emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity all crowd in on us”. By learning our mind of clutter, our mind will naturally connect the dots and formulate the information while we are in a state of rest. Learn to meditate by focusing on your breathing, count to four as you breath in and count to four as you breath out. Feel the cold air in your nostrils as you breathe in and the warm air as you breathe out. Do this as long as you can.. Quiet times like these help you to de-stress.

6. Maintaining close relationships and keep an active social life helps manage your stress level. There will be times when your network of support will help keep your mind sane. Learn to smile more. Smiling can trigger physiological responses in your body and make you feel better.

7. Be a mentor and impart something you are passionate about. Be an expert in something, be it knitting, cooking a dish, fishing trout or kite flying. Be a mentor to your friends, children or grandchildren.

8. Stub out bad habits. Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain. If you drink alcohol, drink wine instead and in moderation. Red wine has been shown to be good for the heart and brain.