Cognitive decline is inevitable as we get older. According to the American Psychological Association, “brain volume peaks in the early 20s and gradually decreases over the rest of life.”
But your lifestyle can slow down the process. You can preserve and even increase your mental abilities as you age. Simple behavior changes can help us stay alert for as long as possible. What you do or don’t do makes a big difference to your memory skills.
Seeking physical and intellectual challenges, no matter how uncomfortable, is one of the best ways to slow down the natural process of memory impairment. New challenges are a way to exercise your mind and build new paths.
Embrace New Learning Styles/Formats
says Dr. Lawrence Katz in his book “Keep Your Brain Alive: 83 Neurobic Exercises to Prevent Memory Loss and Increase Mental Fitness. “.
says Rosebud Roberts in the Mayo Clinic study published in Neurology.
“It’s a ‘use it or lose it’ scenario. When you participate in cognitively stimulating activities, you are strengthening synaptic connections, but if you don’t use these circuits in your brain, the connections will degenerate, she adds.
Mentally stimulating learning in life makes a huge difference in memory retention.
Lifelong learning is a journey, not a destination: there is never a lack of new things to learn. Choose to learn skills, ideas, and concepts that you find interesting and the journey will be fun.
A hobby is not just a way to pass the time; It can also keep your brain active, increase your cognition, and improve the quality of your life. Take some time to learn some hobbies.
Given what the research tells us, they’ll keep your brain wonderfully healthy.