Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp

The good news is that regardless of your age, there are a number of different ways to improve your brain function and memory. Here are 8 steps to follow for a healthier and sharper brain.

Whether it is a new language, new skill, a musical instrument, solving a puzzle or playing a game of chess, the idea is to challenge your brain to learn something new and complex. Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain and stimulate growth of individual brain cells, which in turn slows down cognitive aging.

Integrating your 5 senses or using a combination of any two can help you remember things better. For instance, when meeting someone for the first time, you listen to their name, see their features and possibly smell their perfume to help you identify them better. Various studies have shown that combining your senses also helps you to perform better and even generate new ideas like listening to music while doing a task. You could also challenge your brain to guess the ingredients as you smell and taste a new restaurant dish! 

Save the mental energy from trying to recall where you left your keys or your phone. Take advantage of calendars and planners, maps, shopping lists, file folders, and address books to keep routine information accessible. Designate a place at home for your glasses, purse, keys, and other items you use often. This will help keep your mind focused and make it easier to learn new things. 

The right kind of nutrition can significantly work wonders in boosting your brain health. Fatty fish rich in Omega-3s like salmon and tuna, leafy greens such as broccoli and spinach, berries and nuts (especially walnuts), and even tea and coffee, are all foods that are rich in brain-healthy nutrients. So, eat smart to think smart.

New research has shown that having a friendly chat for ten minutes is enough to boost brain power. Social interactions, deep conversations or mentally stimulating group activities like bingo or scrabble, intensely exercises the brain into connecting, communicating, judging, reading other�s emotions and reacting, lowering the risks of dementia and depression.  

A creative and clever way to remember things is by forming mnemonics that take the form of acronyms, such as RICE to remember first-aid advice for injured limbs: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, or sentences, such as the classic "Every good boy does fine" to remember the musical notes E, G, B, D, and F on the lines of the treble clef.

Chronic stress can actually damage your brain! An excess of the "stress hormone" cortisol not only kills healthy brain cells, it can also have a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Take the time to relax and find ways to destress by going for a massage or a mini vacation, read a book or meditate.

Researchers have found that smoking as little as one cigarette a day for an extended period can decrease cognitive ability and inhibit critical thinking. Studies have also shown that quitting smoking improves "retrospective memory," which is the ability to learn information and retrieve it later. 

Physical exercise is essential for our body but how does it benefit our brain? Just like your body, you should give your mind a regular workout to ensure it stays healthy as you age. Physical activity increases circulation to the brain that helps to preserve existing neurons and creates new ones that enable higher thinking and learning.

While certain health conditions can impair your cognitive ability with age, but a few simple changes by adopting a healthy lifestyle can slow down the declining process and protect your memory for life.