SMART WAYS TO WAKE UP YOUR BRAIN
Museums, Zumba and lemons – these ten genius strategies will help nourish your mind and age-proof your memory 1.
Genius strategies to nourish your mind and your memory
LEARN THE LINGO
Studying a language will not only broaden your horizons, but could help to protect your brain, too. A study using MRI scans at Lund University, Sweden, revealed that an intensive language-learning course caused specific parts of the brain to grow and develop, including the hippocampus, which is involved in learning new material and spatial navigation.
IF YOU DON’T SNOOZE, YOU LOSE
“When you sleep well, you’re making a long-term investment in your memory health,” says Dr Erla Björnsdóttir, a psychologist and sleep specialist at Sleephubs (sleephubs.com). “Research strongly suggests that high-quality sleep during middle age may help guard against age-related cognitive decline. To calm your nervous system when trying to fall asleep, try 4-7-8 breathing: exhale through your mouth fully, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold the breath for a count of seven. Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound, for a count of eight. Repeat ten to 20 times.”
Cultural activities reduce social isolation and the risk of depression
3. SNIFF A LEMON
It’s all too easy to fill your phone with lists and set reminders – it’s known as cognitive offloading – but using your memory can help to protect it. If you struggle to retain information, try this trick from hypnotherapist Nick Davies (ndhypnotherapy.com): “The aroma of lemons creates mental alertness. Read or study what you have to remember while smelling the lemon scent and give the topic a name. When you need to recall the memory, relax and sniff the lemon scent.”
4. MIND YOUR WINE
Drinking more than 14 units a week increases the risk of dementia, according to a 2018 study in the British Medical Journal. But before you put the wine back on the supermarket shelf, it found that total abstinence in mid-life also increased risk. It was an observational study, but it seems that a little of what you fancy may be of benefit. If you need to cut down but like the sense of occasion, try making cocktails with non-alcoholic spirits. We like Seedlip Grove 42 (£25.99; hollandandbarrett.com) with clementine juice and soda for a delicious mimosa.
5. GET SMART WITH ART
Galleries, museums, theatre trips and concerts are all nourishment for our minds, according to research from University College London, which found that artistic engagement reduces the risk of depression. “Cultural activities encourage gentle movement, reduce social isolation and lower inflammation and stress hormones such as cortisol,” says Dr Daisy Fancourt, the study’s lead author. “The arts are linked with dopamine release, which encourages cognitive flexibility, and reduces the risk of dementia.”
6. THINK POSITIVE
Easier said than done, perhaps, but trying to take daily irritations – such as traffic jams or a long wait for an appointment – in your stride can help to preserve brain health, according to a study by researchers at Oregon State University. It found that older adults who reacted more negatively to stressful situations went on to perform worse in cognition tests. Try reframing situations in your mind, so instead of “I’ve been sat in this waiting room for ages,” think, “I’ll use this unexpected free time to listen to a podcast.”
7. FLEX YOUR MUSCLES, WORK YOUR MEMORY
The benefits of exercise for improving cognitive health are abundant, but it doesn’t have to be long, vigorous workouts
– a recent study by researchers at University of California found that even ten minutes of light activity (think tai chi, yoga or a quick stroll) increases the connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory creation and recall. And it’s good news if you’re feeling more energetic: in other studies, resistance exercise and aerobic exercise, such as cycling or swimming, were found to be good for staving off cognitive decline.
8. STEP ON IT
Whether it’s foxtrot, lindy hop or Zumba, dancing won’t just keep you fit – scientists have shown that picking up all those steps ticks cognitive learning boxes, too. One study on people over 60 found that dancing improved an area of the brain related to memory and processing speed, while another found spatial memory was given a boost.
9. TUNE INTO A NEW TRACK
A number of studies support the idea that learning to play a musical instrument in childhood not only increases grey matter volume in various brain regions, but can also strengthen connections, too. But don’t worry if the recorder was never your thing at school, as even listening to music can help – just make sure it’s something your kids or grandchildren are into, as the unfamiliarity of new music forces the brain to work to understand the new sound.
10. PRICK UP YOUR EARS
It seems a strange connection, but having your hearing tested may help to keep cognitive decline in check, says Dr Jamie Wilson, dementia specialist and founder of homecare provider Hometouch (myhometouch.com). “A recent paper in The Lancet suggests that unaddressed midlife hearing loss is a significant risk factor for dementia.” The good news is that evidence suggests proper diagnosis and management of hearing loss may reduce that risk, so see your GP if you have any concerns about your senses.