Just like our bodies, our brains change as we age.
Or it may take longer to learn something new.
Most notably, the behaviors weavoidcould have a positive impact on our cognition.
Here are the mistakes to correct ASAP:
1.
You dont get enough social interaction.
Zaldy Tan, the director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Program at Cedars-Sinai.
So, how does socialization impact the brain?
(Depressionis one of the risk factors for dementia.)
You keep your brain active but only by doing the same things over and over again.
If you say, Im no longer a kid anymore.
You should always be expanding your mental horizons, he said.
If youve never taken a musical instrument, learn a musical instrument.
If youve never read a foreign language, learn a foreign language.
You dismiss the chronic stress youre carrying around.
The problem is when this stress becomes chronic and we dont address it.
Even when nothing stressful is happening, we may be carrying around unconscious stress.
This gives us more states of relaxation during the day and a better sleep quality at night.
You rely on takeout too much.
[But] in the long term, that may not really be the best for our brains.
(For example,studiessuggest that uncontrolled diabetes can lead to brain shrinkage.)
You aim for enough sleep each night but the quality isnt good.
And both the quantity and quality of sleep are essential for brain health.
When sleep is too short or of poor quality … these processes are interrupted.
The next day, you may have a hard time concentrating or difficulty recalling information.
But over the years, poor sleep can increase the risk for your brain aging prematurely and developing dementia.
You dont incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle.
It actually can increase growth hormones in the brain, like nerve factors that promote brain health and wellness.
Beyond working out, Tan recommends making physical activity a part of your lifestyle.
Remember: We have a lot of control over our brain health.
The worst thing we can do for our brains is to just give up as we age.
Dont think everything just has to happen that way because youre getting [older].
Take care of your brain, take care of your body, Finney said.
This article originally appeared onHuffPost.
