Improve your reading and listening comprehension with selected text and a video podcast together with illustrated flashcards on how to keep your brain sharp
Research has shown that there are many ways you can hone your mental sharpness and help your brain stay healthy, no matter what age you are. Doing certain brain exercises to help boost your memory, concentration, and focus can make daily tasks quicker and easier to do, and keep your brain sharp as you get older.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/
How to have a sharper brain?
There are various strategies we can use to have the best brain-boosting.
The way you live, what you eat and drink, and how you treat your body can affect your memory just as much as your physical health and well-being.
1. Keep learning
A higher level of education is associated with better mental functioning in old age. Experts think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active. Pursuing a hobby, learning a new skill, volunteering or mentoring are additional ways to keep your mind sharp.
Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/
2. Learn a new language
A 2012 review of research has overwhelmingly proven the many cognitive benefits of being able to speak more than one language.
According to numerous studies, bilingualism can contribute to better memory, improved visual-spatial skills, and higher levels of creativity. Being fluent in more than one language may also help you switch more easily between different tasks, and delay the onset of age-related mental decline.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/
3. Eat healthy to stimulate your brain
You may know that nuts, fish, and seafood have been linked to a healthy brain. For an extra brain boost, try including these foods in your diet, suggests Healthline:
- Salmon is filled with Omega-3 fatty acids, major building blocks of the brain.
- Green tea improves alertness and focus. It’s rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, and has been linked with a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
- Eggs have many nutrients tied to brain health such as B6, B12, folate, and choline. Choline helps create a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which helps regulate mood and memory.
- Blueberries have antioxidants, which have been shown to improve communication between brain cells, delay short-term memory loss, and reduce inflammation.
Source: https://www.aplaceformom.com/
4. Meditate
Daily meditation can calm your body, slow your breathing, and reduce stress and anxiety.
But did you know that it may also help fine-tune your memory and increase your brain’s ability to process information?
Find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and spend five minutes meditating each day.
Source: https://www.healthline.com/
5. Take Care of Your Body to Take Care of Your Mind
Research has time and time again shown that people who engage in healthy behaviors such as exercise and proper nutrition are less susceptible to the cognitive declines associated with the aging process.
The researchers found that men who practiced certain healthy behaviors were around 60% less likely to experience cognitive impairment and dementia as they age.
Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/
Aerobic activity slashes your lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s in half and your risk of general dementia by 60 percent, according to John Medina, PhD, director of the Seattle Pacific University Brain Center for Applied Learning Research.
Source: https://www.inc.com/
6. Think positively
Learning to think positively can literally rewire your brain. Scientists proved that if you consciously alter your thought processes through practices like mindfulness, you can make your brain shift from right-side thinking to the left. You will also be less anxious, have more energy and be happier overall.
Source: https://bigthink.com/
7. Socialize
Socializing tends to engage multiple areas of the brain and many social activities also include physical elements, such as playing a sport, that is also beneficial to your mind.
Even if you are an inveterate introvert, seeking social interactions can be beneficial to your brain in both the short and long-term. Some ideas for staying socially engaged to include signing up for volunteer opportunities in your community, joining a club, signing up for a local walking group, and staying in close touch with your friends and family.
Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/
There are several activities we can do to make our brains sharper and more active. As the reading mentioned, learning a new language, eating healthy, meditation, and social interactions all are helpful in this case. In all of these methods, it is essential that we stay consistent and I believe a great sense of self-confidence and self-regard are influential.
Keeping our mind sharp is an important responsibility upon our shoulders. This is because mental degeneration could happen subtly as we might not feel any physical pain over the passage of time.