Even though exercise is very important for your physical health, it’s just as important to exercise your mind. There have been a number of studies done that have shown people who are mentally stimulated have a much lower chance of developing memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s. The brain is a part of your body that you should continue to exercise if you want to have a sharp memory. Here are some tips to help maintain your brain health:
Exercise your mind daily
Most people don’t realize that your brain is a muscle. To maintain muscle, you have to work and challenge it daily. To exercise your mind, stimulate your brain for around 20 minutes 3-4 times a week.
Challenge yourself
Challenge yourself to learn something new every day. When you learn something, your brain goes through a process which is similar to when your muscles are rebuilding. To challenge your brain you can find a new hobby, join card groups, learn a new language/instrument, etc. Surrounding yourself around others that don’t think the same way you do is a great way to learn something new. By having stimulating conversations it challenges you to think differently.
Sleep
Your body and brain need around 6-8 hours of sleep a day to function at its best ability. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your brain will not be able to function at 100% capacity.
Socialization
Humans are meant to socialize and interact with one another. There is a part of the brain that is dedicated to processing social interactions. If we aren’t socializing, this means that we aren’t using a section of our brain. Tapping into the different parts of your brain is more important than you could ever imagine.
Television
Unfortunately, this section is not about how watching television is great for your mental health. When we watch TV, it’s usually not for a couple minutes but rather a couple of hours. Since you’re usually watching TV for a longer period of time, your brain puts itself on standby. You are then no longer using and challenging your brain. Some substitutes for watching TV would be to read a book, go out and enjoy nature, or even go get dinner with a friend. If you do choose to watch TV, surf through the channels to keep your mind stimulated.
Organization
Although there are so many reasons why being organized is beneficial, it also challenges your brain. This makes your brain think about what makes sense to put where and for your brain to create a plan on how to remember where you put each item. This also ties into memory strategy and how you can create a plan for that. If you forget someone’s name try to tie it to something else. For example, you always forget your friend’s name which is Austin and you grew up in Texas. Make the connection of his name Austin and Austin, Texas.
As for our residents at Woodstone, we implement brain teasers and puzzles to keep our residents thinking. Having stimulating conversations with them can help keep their mind sharp. We allow many different creative outlets for our residents to challenge and occupy their minds.
Best,
Danielle Morrow
Marketing Specialist