Accordingly, the 60-year-old brain certainly won’t run as well as it did when it was 25. The prefrontal cortex – the part of the brain involved in language processing and problem solving – shrinks with age, but becomes more active when you get old.
According to medical experts, one of the best ways to keep your mind sharp is to exercise. Physical activity has been shown to promote the formation of new nerve cells, thereby keeping your mind sharp.
According to the Mayo Clinic Aging Study, middle-aged or older adults who exercise moderately can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment. A review of 46 trials with more than 5,000 participants published in 2020, also supported the positive effects of exercise on memory. A 2017 review of randomized, controlled trials concluded that people 50 years of age and older can improve cognition with moderate-intensity exercise (aerobic exercise or strength training). .
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Walter Boot, a psychologist at Florida State University, said: “Brain games can help you improve your thinking ability in a relatively short period of time. But in the end, they may not make a meaningful change in the way your mind works as you age.” Instead, he argues, it’s what you do in reality, such as interacting with the world and socializing, that matters.
Maintaining social interaction is also very helpful. Retirees experience cognitive decline faster than those who keep working. Don’t misunderstand that retirement is not good. Instead of working, you can participate in some other activities such as volunteering. “When you go to a party, you really enter into a complex cognitive exercise. By meeting new people, memorizing names and stories they tell, you are training your brain.
Besides, what you eat every day also plays an important role. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil can help keep the brain healthy. A study published in 2019 followed more than 2,600 people and found that adults who ate more green vegetables had better cognitive abilities in middle age.
All things that weaken blood vessels increase the risk of cognitive decline. The secret to staying sharp into old age is simply eating right, exercising, staying active and socializing.