No matter how much we may try to fight it, we are all aging. Time stops for no one and that means that memory loss and brain fog could be waiting just around the corner (or perhaps they have already met you on the road and are trying to keep you company)!
Whether you are just starting to be aware that your youthful days are over or if you are well into the Autumn time of your life, there are simple and easy ways to keep your mind young and send brain fog and memory fog off on their way. If you are keen to join us on a road that feels clearer and brighter, read on for Brain Fog & Memory Loss: 4 Tips to Keep them at Bay!
1. Give Your Frontal Lobe A Workout
Within the brain, it is the frontal lobe that handles executive function. A 2015 study in Brain Imaging Behavior actually found that middle-aged adults who regularly worked on puzzles or played games that worked the frontal lobe had higher brain volume when looking at the area that is responsible for cognitive function and memory. So whether you enjoy a game of chess, Sudoku, cards, or a great puzzle book, make sure you allow time for your everyday brain workout.
2. Choose Aerobic Exercise
It seems that aerobic exercise is the best for our brain health. In fact, a 2018 study that was published in the Journal of the America Geriatrics Society noted that for adults who have risk factors for Alzheimer’s, aerobic exercise may be the most effective form to help them in making decisions.
It seems that it is the increase in blood flow that is generated when we engage in aerobic exercise that flows in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory. Considering that this is the area that is mainly affected by Alzheimer’s, it is quite the thought that we could in fact be building up a defence that could serve us well in later years.
3. Make Music (or at least listen to it!)
Music is an incredible gift and as we get older it can do much to keep brain fog and memory loss at bay. When we play music or listen to music we are able to activate the auditory cortex (what we hear), the emotional centre (what we feel when we listen to a beautiful melody), and the motor cortex (if we are playing an instrument).
All of this can stimulate neural circuits and networks in the brain and result in a brain that is happier and healthier. Even if you’ve never played a musical instrument in your life before, now could be the time to start. Why you may very well discover that you are a natural, but you’ve just never had the chance to try it out yet in life!
4. Put Pen to Paper
Drawing, painting, sculpting, all of these activities require us to make spatial calculations and focus on details, this can protect us from mild cognitive impairment and go a long way to having that healthy brain in old age that we all crave. Don’t worry if you are not a natural artist, doodling can have the same desired effect and can be a lot more fun too!
No one wants to be that older person that can’t seem to remember anyone’s name and always looks to be in a dazed state. Thankfully, there is a lot that we can do to ensure that we stay young and healthy on the inside for a long time to come.
Remember, your mind wants to work, it loves to be kept active, and for you to provide it with an array of activities that will keep it feeling fresh and youthful all day long. Choose activities that will give your brain plenty of exercises and ensure that all of those circuits and connections keep on doing what they are doing. Get arty, enjoy music, becoming a chess expert, buy a weekly puzzle book, work on solving problems, the list goes on! There are plenty of ways to keep memory loss and brain fog at bay, it’s up to you to incorporate them into your daily life.
What are your thoughts on brain fog and memory loss? Let us know in the comments below, and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
