Exercise. Healthy diet. Socializing. How many times have we heard these behaviors affect cognitive functions? We find it easy to rationalize that the damage is done and nothing will make a difference, but health experts disagree. Research has shown, for example, that within a few days of quitting smoking, the carbon dioxide levels in the body return to normal, and within a few months, circulation improves and lung function increases. Similar health results are found with other behavior changes.
Adopting a healthy, positive lifestyle supports brain function, including memory, decision-making, and focus, and may also lead to short-term benefits to preserve cognition. Little changes make a big difference.
Exercise. Just move. Walking, gardening, playing tennis, golf, swimming or other sports fuel healthy brain function. At a kid’s game? Walk around the field rather than sit. Have you been watching TV too long? Do chair exercises or walk around the house or yard. Even starting later in life, there are tremendous benefits. Six months of 40 minutes a day of activity, three to four times a week, improved cognitive scores in more than 200 older adults, even those with no previous cognitive issues.
Follow a Mediterranean diet. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and antioxidants can support brain health and reduce inflammation. This is achieved with a diet of fish, chicken, fruits, vegetables and low in dairy and red meats. A study showed that when their diet focused on these foods, even those with normal cognition had better memory and greater brain volume than those who did not make these food choices.
Maintain a healthy BMI. Body mass index can gauge your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health problems. A healthy BMI of 25 or under will help prevent many lifestyle diseases.
Brain work. New and novel mind games—challenging your brain—can build cognitive reserves. Mix up your games; the same word or board game played daily ceases to have the same challenging effect that a new game will present.
Socialize. People who bring positivity to your life improve your mental health by lowering stress levels and preventing loneliness and depression. Being isolated, not speaking often during the day, or interacting with others often affects cognition.
Give it up. Positive changes such as giving up smoking, as we mentioned above, and reducing refined sugars, fried foods, white carbs, the nitrates in deli foods and processed meats and excessive alcohol use can improve cognition scores.
Sleep. Sufficient sleep results in better cognition. Staying asleep can be challenging when pain, urinary frequency, stress, or GI distress are involved. Addressing these problems can improve your sleep health. A better diet and exercise can also help. Treating sleep disorders now may provide cognitive benefits later in life.
Other health issues. Many health problems can be related to cognitive changes. Medication side effects, low blood sugar, depression and substance abuse issues can all affect sleep. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits and seeking treatment for those that require medical care will result in a stronger cognitive base. Sometimes a neurological workup identifies changes that can be made. Other times the result may be a neurodegenerative disease that is not treatable with lifestyle changes.
Take control of factors that may affect your physical and mental health today and as you age. It is never too late to change your behavior, take a walk, make better food choices, and improve your cognitive and physical health.