A few generations ago, people did not hope to live for 50 years. Fortunately, today most of us have a chance to live 20–40 years longer. However, over the years it is becoming more and more difficult for the brain to do its job.
A sedentary lifestyle and bad habits are harmful to the entire body, including the brain. With age, the risk of developing and developing Alzheimer's disease increases.
To prevent premature aging of a vital organ and maintain a clear mind, you need to follow a few helpful tips.
1. Change your eating habits
Adhering to a healthy diet is beneficial not only for body shape and general well-being but also for the brain. Start with simple changes in your habitual behavior. For example, replace a late cup of coffee with green tea. It contains less caffeine and many antioxidants that help protect brain cells from damage. Reduce your consumption of smoked food.
A healthy diet does not mean that you need to eat only salad and cereals for whole days. Scientists have found out Mediterranean diet could reduce brain shrinkage. that the Mediterranean diet, characterized by a high proportion of vegetables, fruits, olive oil, fish and seafood, helps reduce brain cell loss and preserve mental abilities.
2. Exercise every day for at least 20 minutes
Motor activity is necessary to maintain brain health. Aerobics increases blood circulation, improves memory and stimulates the growth of new brain cells. So new neural connections appear.
Sport can have the same effect on the brain as a small dose of antidepressants. Physical activity helps to cope with stress. Do aerobics or any other sport at least 1.5 hours a week, that is, 20 minutes a day. This must be done for the sake of your health.
3. Leave the comfort zone more often.
Your brain will stay young longer if you strain it with various tasks. Contrary to popular belief, the brain is not programmed but can change. If you wish, you can, for example, get rid of old habits and replace them with new ones. This property of the brain is called neuroplasticity.
Learning a foreign language or playing a musical instrument will help preserve the plasticity of the brain since it promotes the formation of new neural connections. It is also useful to communicate with representatives of other professions. So you also expand your horizons.
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4. Get enough sleep
In a dream, our lymphatic system cleanses the brain from neurotoxins, including beta-amyloid and tau protein, which provokes Alzheimer's disease, and from alpha-synuclein, the accumulation of which leads to Parkinson's disease.
The process of cleansing the brain takes time. That is why a person needs to sleep 7–9 hours a day.
5. Maintain an active social life.
Man is a social being. But with age, our social circle narrows, we begin to talk less with other people. Maintaining relationships with relatives and friends is vital for cognitive health. For those who are less likely to talk with others, mental capacity is reduced by 70% compared with sociable people.
Interestingly, lonely people are more alert and more often expect threats from strangers. This happens because their brain, unaccustomed to communication, perceives interaction with strangers as something unknown and dangerous. This is a kind of defensive reaction.
Throughout life, you need to spend more time with your loved ones, engage in hobbies and learn something new. Then, in old age, the brain will thank you with a good memory and a clear mind.