HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR MENTAL EDGE AT ANY AGE

In your 30s: This is the time to make sure you establish healthy habits—such as getting plenty of exercise and sleep, and eating a good diet—that will affect your brain health throughout your adult years. “When it comes to maintaining brain health, the best time to start is yesterday,” says Dr. Nasreen Khatri, a registered clinical psychologist, gerontologist and neuroscientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences in Toronto. If you feel you need a boost at work, consider old-fashioned writing instead of typing on your computer. A study in the journal Psychological Science found that university students who made handwritten notes were better equipped to recall conceptual ideas from their professors’ lectures than those who had typed notes on their laptops. In your 40s and 50s: People in this age group are part of the “sandwich generation,” and often face caring for their aging parents on top of dealing with their other work, financial and parenting obligations. So, unsurprisingly, they’re super stressed—and this can affect both mental health and day-to-day brain function. Dr. Khatri says it’s essential to prioritize and edit out activities and commitments that increase stress without adding value to your productivity or happiness. That’s because “maintaining mental health in early and mid life is key to safeguarding cognitive health later on,” she says. “Untreated depression in midlife doubles your risk of developing dementia in later life.” In your 60s and beyond: In your senior years, socializing with friends and family, and picking up activities that allow you to connect, such as volunteering, are key to maintaining brain health. And sorry, keeping up with folks on Facebook isn’t enough. “Ask yourself: Is social media rounding out my real- life social experiences?” suggests Dr. Khatri. What you need is face- to- face interaction.