Cinergy Health & Life

Keeping Your Mind Healthy

IN SENIORS' HEALTH

Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp. No matter what your age, an active brain produces new connections between nerve cells, enabling cells to communicate with each other, helping you store and retrieve information more easily and efficiently. Here are a few suggestions to help you nurture your mind.

  • Continue musical or artistic talents or develop new ones.
  • Continue your formal education. Take a community class or a college course.
  • Explore the cultural life of your community. Attend concerts, lectures, and plays.
  • Join a book club or a discussion group.
  • Keep a journal of our thoughts.
  • Read regularly.
  • Stay up-to-date on technology. Learn about computers and connect to the Internet.
  • Teach others your skills or knowledge.

Although we begin to learn differently as we age, growing older doesn’t mean you have to stop learning or challenging yourself. Numerous studies indicate that older people can and do learn new things—and learn them well. Age provides wisdom and experience that help with integrating new knowledge into your life.

Walk Your Way to Mental Well-being

Walking benefits your mind just as much as your body. Recent research finds that physical activity is good for mental skills. Simple forms of steady exercise, such as walking, give you the best mental boost. Walking improves your ability to:

  • Focus
  • Make decisions
  • Solve problems

Even small doses of walking can increase your brain power, and the benefits are not just short-term. The mental perks continue long after your body has cooled down from a walk. You can also use walking as a time to pray, meditate, or just think. Alone time can help you gain perspective and balance, reduce stress, tap into your creative side and solve problems.
 

Sources: mayoclinic.com, aarp.org

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