Give your brain a youth boost

Protect your thinking skills

The pressures of modern life mean our minds are more at risk than ever. ‘Many of us consume too much sugar and refined carbohydrates, and neglect the consumption of essential fats,’ says Clare Daley, nutritional therapist at nutritional supplement company Cytoplan. Coupled with lack of quality sleep and exercise and the additional stresses of 21st century living, it can result in cognitive decline. ‘While diseases like dementia are often diagnosed in 70 and 80-year-olds, the processes that eventually result in dementia occur much earlier.’ But it’s not too late – try these tricks to sharpen up your mind

1 SIGN UP FOR EVENING CLASS

Learning a new language is one of the best ways to boost your recollection and even reverse brain ageing, according to a study from the University of Edinburgh. Alternatively, join a choir. There’s a reason we remember the lyrics to our favourite songs. A study from the International Journal of Social Research and Practice showed a link between music and enhanced memory. It’s thought that learning lyrics boosts levels of acetylcholine, which helps the brain to store memories and retain information.

2 SAY YES TO CARBOHYDRATES

They don’t just fuel movement in your body, but they’re crucial for your brain, too. A US study found that mental performance declined after just a week on a low-carbohydrate diet. Why? Carbs feed the brain glucose, which is required for energy, so you might feel fatigued if you cut out rice and pasta. Opt for unrefined complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrain bread and wholemeal pasta, which slowly release energy for more sustained function.

3 GO TO BED EARLIER

‘There’s nothing more important for your memory than sleep,’ says sleep expert Professor Colin Espie. Studies have shown that people who are given a new task recall it more accurately after a good night’s rest. If you often wake during the night, you might find your mind going blank the next

day. The time you go to bed can play a huge role in the quality of your sleep too, regardless of how many hours you get. Research from the Centre for Integrated Research and Understanding of Sleep shows that the deepest sleep occurs in the first two to three sleep cycles of the night, rather than morning, with each cycle being 90 minutes long. Delaying the onset of these cycles by staying up late can cause grogginess the next day, so aim to drift off between 9-10pm to allow the restorative cycles to take effect.

4 MANAGE BRAIN FOG

If you’re menopausal or perimenopausal, you may find that your memory is a little patchy. This is mainly because the shifting oestrogen levels can cause memory lapses, but a lack of sleep due to hot flushes can also create brain fog. This forgetfulness is only temporary and subsides after the menopause, but, for the duration of the menopause, Dr Marilyn Glenville recommends taking ginkgo biloba, which can help to improve concentration.