10 Ways to Stay Mentally Sharp

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10 WAYS TO STAY MENTALLY SHARP

10 ways to stay mentally sharp

As we age, our mental sharpness ages right along with our physical bodies. Therefore, it’s important we exercise both our bodies and our brains. For some people, their bodies and minds see a gradual decline after retirement. This is because they aren’t using both in the same way. To keep healthy physically and mentally, we must keep active. Below I’ve included 10 ways to help keep mentally sharp as we age.

10 ways to stay mentally sharp: 

  1. Stimulate your brain – Learn new skills, play puzzle games, complete word searches, engage your mind by challenging yourself in some way.
  2. Manage stress – Stress is one of the leading causes of memory loss. Be aware of what triggers your stress and find ways to manage it or avoid it.
  3. Exercise – Be involved in physical activity on a regular basis.
  4. Sleep – Recharge your brain through sleep. Research has found that when we don’t get enough sleep proteins build up on synapses – which can make it hard to think and learn new things.
  5. Take vitamins – Get the recommended doses of magnesium, folate, and Vitamins B-12, B-6, and D-3.
  6. Use your hands – Use your hands to keep your brain active. Hand/eye coordination is both visual and tactile.
  7. Be with friends – Find friends that enrich your life. Friends keep you active, motivated, engaged, and they help you cope with problems.
  8. Eat a healthy diet – Eat lots of fruits and veggies and avoid foods high in cholesterol. Research as shown that those who eat healthy may reduce their risk of declining cognitively.
  9. Stay away from bad habits – If it doesn’t add value to your life, then don’t let it steal your time. Avoid things such as smoking, excessive drinking, watching television too much, etc.
  10. Seek help – Don’t be afraid to seek professional help if you or a loved one notices your sharpness declining.

How about you? Have you witnessed someone decline in mental sharpness with age? What would you add to this list?

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