Good Sleep for Brain Health by M. Chris Wolf

People who are anxious, depressed, sleep-deprived, or exhausted tend to score poorly on cognitive function tests. If you choose to drink, limit yourself to two drinks a day. Don't abuse alcoholĮxcessive drinking is a major risk factor for dementia. Avoid tobaccoĪvoid tobacco in all its forms. Some observational studies suggest that low-dose aspirin may reduce the risk of dementia, especially vascular dementia. But if you need more help, ask your doctor about medication.

Diet, exercise, weight control, and avoiding tobacco will go a long way toward improving your cholesterol levels. High levels of LDL ('bad') cholesterol are associated with an increased the risk of dementia. But if your blood sugar stays high, you'll need medication to achieve good control. You can help prevent diabetes by eating right, exercising regularly, and staying lean. Improve your blood sugarĭiabetes is an important risk factor for dementia. Stay lean, exercise regularly, limit your alcohol to two drinks a day, reduce stress, and eat right. Use lifestyle modification to keep your pressure as low as possible. High blood pressure in midlife increases the risk of cognitive decline in old age. For example, people that eat a Mediterranean style diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils (olive oil) and plant sources of proteins are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia. Good nutrition can help your mind as well as your body. Exercise also lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, helps blood sugar balance and reduces mental stress, all of which can help your brain as well as your heart. This results in brains that are more efficient, plastic, and adaptive, which translates into better performance in aging animals. Exercise also spurs the development of new nerve cells and increases the connections between brain cells ( synapses). Animals who exercise regularly increase the number of tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the region of the brain that is responsible for thought. Research shows that using your muscles also helps your mind. Read, take courses, try 'mental gymnastics,' such as word puzzles or math problems Experiment with things that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting, and other crafts. Through research with mice and humans, scientists have found that brainy activities stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells, developing neurological 'plasticity' and building up a functional reserve that provides a hedge against future cell loss.Īny mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. Here are 12 ways you can help maintain brain function. But cognitive impairment is not inevitable. Mental decline is common, and it's one of the most feared consequences of aging. Every brain changes with age, and mental function changes along with it.

Good Sleep for Brain Health by M. Chris Wolf