9 Excellent Ways to Keep Your Mind Young and Active

The brain changes over the years, but small routines, activities, and practices keep our mind young, healthy and sharp in the later years. Aging weakens certain neural connections, persistent practice and good habits can enhance and even build up new pathways.

There are various ways in which we can keep our mind alert and functioning at its best.

1. Listen To Your Favorite Soundtrack

   When you listen to your favorite playlist the brain gets a mental workout. This helps feel more alert and boost memory and mood.

2. Break From The Daily Routine

   The mind needs a change to function well. Try something different in your life, new route, new book, a different social activity, or an event.

   Brian thrives on change and to challenge it and keep it strong you need to break the daily routine and bring in something different.

   Learn a new language. Speaking two or more languages promote mental elasticity and one’s ability to understand information.

   If you find something difficult do not just give away with the thought of trying it again. More challenging is an activity for you to master more rewarding is the brain boost.

3. Eat Well

   Eat food that nourishes your mind and your body. A Mediterranean-style plate consisting of fruits, fish, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and olive oil is a type of brain-boosting diet.

   Eating a Mediterranean-style diet has shown to protect against cognitive decline and dementia.⁽¹⁾

   Stay away from highly processed, high in calorie foods. Such foods disturb the cholesterol level, blood sugar level and the balance of nutrients which help the brain to operate at its best.

   Also, it is important to keep changing the ingredients in the diet, which help you look forward to your meal.

4. Exercise Daily

   Regular exercise is good for body and mind. It promotes healthy aging and protects both the brain and body.

   Physical activity improves the blood flow to the brain and initiates a new connection between many cells. This improves focus, memory, and problem-solving capacity.

   You can start with mild to moderate exercise for 25-30 minutes in a day such as walking or yoga. Listening music along can be an add-on beneficial effort for the mind.

5. Sleep Well

   A good night sleep of 6-8 hours every night is important to keep the mind fresh and alert.

   A study shows that sleeping well regenerates neurons and allows the brain to function at its best. It also proves that sleep improves memory recall and helps regulate the metabolism in the body and reduce mental fatigue.^{(2, 3)}

   It is important to power off the computer, mobile, television one hour before going to sleep. This will help you sleep well. If a lot of things are going on in your mind try reading, listening to music, take a bath or any do relaxing activity which help close down the day with ease and get a good sleep.

6. Stay Connected

   Social connections are important to keep the mind young. Strong connection with others boosts our overall health and lowers the risk of dementia and prolongs life expectancy.⁽⁴⁾

   Time spent with close family members, friends, and the community helps enjoy life, feel appreciated, and find purpose. New friendships help share experiences, overcome challenges, and also pursue activities outside our comfort zone.

   Meeting new people and getting to know them supercharges the brain similar to solving a puzzle, crossword.

7. Have A Good Laugh

   Stress leads to the release of a hormone known as cortisol which reduces the ability to think clearly. High level of stress can trouble the memory and the learning process. Find ways to have a good laugh and protect your brain. Low cortisol level keeps the brain healthy.⁽⁵⁾

8. Enjoy Nature

   Nature has a calming effect and can help ease stress. If you have time, spend some of it outdoor appreciating the beauty of nature this gives brain rest from the constant flow of data and stimulus it gets throughout the day.

   This helps it reboot the ability and focus to be more creative and better at solving problems.

9. Meditation

   Meditation helps improve blood pressure and cholesterol level. Studies show that it can also boost focus, memory, and ability to choose words.⁽⁶⁾

   Meditation gives a break to the brain from concrete words and thoughts.

   Keep the mind young with persistent engagement and positive outlook. Every little change or resolution counts and there is no better day to start than today.