We have all heard how important it is to eat well, exercise, and get enough sleep for good health, but did you know that there are additional ways you may improve your brain health? Learn about three unique ways you may reduce the risk of memory loss and/or may prevent the onset of symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Exercise Your Brain
Just as your body needs to be exercised, so does your brain. You can stimulate your mind with activities such as reading, playing a musical instrument, doing puzzles, learning new skills, taking up a hobby, or volunteering. One challenge you can try is doing regular activities with your non-dominant hand, such as brushing your teeth or opening doors, as that activates different parts of your brain. Doing complex work, such as teaching someone how to do something or actively solving problems or puzzles, has also been shown to improve memory.
Connect With Friends and Family
Across the lifespan, people who have increased social activity can be less likely to experience memory loss. People who have more social contacts score higher on tests of memory and executive function (the decision-making processes that help you plan, organize, and complete tasks). However, if those social interactions are stressful and negative, memory scores go down. Increasing your positive social interactions can take many different forms.
Luckily, many of the activities you might choose as part of a physical or mental exercise program will also provide social benefits. Even remote connections with friends, family or faith community over Zoom or FaceTime can contribute to improving your brain health and overall well-being.
Get Involved in Research
There are research studies that can help you learn more about your overall health and the effects it has on your brain. For example, studies on the effects of nutrition and exercise often provide free structured programs to help you stay fit and learn the impact it has on your brain. Some studies provide free brain scans that allow researchers to see the size of your brain and any protein build-up that is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These scans and programs can be expensive, but when you volunteer for research, these kinds of tests are often provided to you free of charge.
Today there are many types of research studies seeking volunteers, including those that may ask you to engage in routine medical and memory tests, to participate in regular exercise or taking a natural supplement, or provide a treatment or medication that may help with symptoms of Alzheimer’s. You can choose a research study that is right for you and may lead to scientific breakthroughs that will help researchers understand how to keep our brains healthier. When getting involved with research, it helps to keep an open mind, speak with a research volunteer about their experience, contact your local research center, or visit us at Axiom Brain Health.
If improving your brain health is of interest to you, we invite you to learn more about Axiom Brain Health, and give us a call at 813-353-9613 or visit our website at axiombrainhealth.com