The older you get, the more important it is to take steps to ensure your brain is as healthy as possible. Online games, crossword puzzles, crafting, and other activities are fantastic ways to stay mentally stimulated, but how to maintain your brain health is much bigger than that.
Your brain health is impacted by both your mental and physical well-being. It is important you take the proper steps to ensure you promote full-body wellness every step of the way.
Make an effort to prevent falls
According to the CDC, one in four older adults in the United States will fall each year. Serious falls not only result in broken bones, they can also cause brain damage, which can cause cognitive decline. Be mindful as you walk over cords, rugs, or any other items that could trip you. Always wear shoes with good traction in and out of the home.
Physical activity can also help you prevent falls. Yoga is a fantastic way to practice balance and strength exercises in a relatively low-impact way, but all sorts of physical activity will help. If you hop on a bike or scooter, never do so without wearing a helmet.
Get plenty of sleep
Your brain can’t function properly if you don’t get enough sleep. Those who don’t sleep enough are shown to have worse moods, memory, and concentration, and a higher risk of disease. Though scientists don’t have a definitive answer as to why this is the case, it may be because sleep removes toxins and allows you to consolidate your memories.
An uninterrupted seven to nine hours of sleep a night is crucial for your health.
Minimize stress
Stress hormones have extreme impacts on one’s health—from making you physically ill, to even impacting your memory. While it’s impossible to completely remove stress from your life, there are things you can do to limit your stress. Meditating, journaling, and being vocal about your feelings with others will all help you build healthier habits.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
This final tip encompasses all the prior examples, but it is so much more. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to keeping your brain healthy and happy. Your brain can’t work properly if your heart doesn’t, so do both in tandem. Quitting smoking and limiting drinking will improve your blood flow and help your brain function.
Regular physical activity—even just a daily 15-minute walk—has been shown to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. Your diet, too, can improve your brain function. Foods high in omega fatty acids, like extra-virgin olive oil and fish, are shown to be helpful to your overall cell function. Ask your doctor if a diet, such as the Mediterranean, would be right for you and your brain health.
Get all the help you need from an at-home caregiver
An at-home caregiver could be the resource you need to live healthfully and happily at home. In addition to picking up groceries and going on walks around the neighborhood with you, your caregiver acts as a companion. They’ll keep you social through engaging conversation and fun brain activities that keep your mind sharp.
If you think an at-home caregiver might be beneficial to you, give us a call at 773-274-9262. We’d be happy to help.
