Maintaining mental sharpness as you age involves various factors:

1. **Exercise:** Regular physical activity, especially aerobic exercises, promotes blood flow to the brain, reducing cognitive decline. Engage in activities like brisk walking, strength training, or sports for optimal brain health.

The American College of Sports Medicine say adults over 18 should try to get moderate-intensity aerobic activity (think brisk walking or doubles tennis) for a minimum of 150 minutes each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (like soccer, basketball or singles tennis) for a minimum of 75 minutes a week. And then add in strength training (like lifting weights) twice a week.

2. **Cognitive Activity:** Stimulate your brain by reading, learning, and challenging yourself mentally. High cognitive activity later in life is linked to a significant reduction in dementia risk. Start these habits early for lasting benefits.

3. **Socialization:** Quality friendships and frequent social interactions contribute to better cognitive functioning. Combining exercise and mentally challenging activities with friends enhances overall brain health.

4. **Nutrition:** Adopt a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, fish, and olive oil. Moderation is key for items like eggs, dairy, and poultry, while reducing red meat, refined grains, and sweets.

5. **Sleep:** Prioritize 7-8 hours of consistent, quality sleep each night. Avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and maintain a regular sleep schedule. Sleep is crucial for clearing accumulated brain waste associated with Alzheimer’s risk.

6. **Holistic Approach:** A 2011 UCSF study suggests that avoiding diabetes, obesity, hypertension, smoking, depression, pursuing education, and engaging in exercise could prevent half of Alzheimer’s cases. Addressing mood changes is crucial, as mood can impact brain function and structure over time.

Remember, making small, consistent lifestyle changes—such as finding enjoyable forms of exercise, embracing cognitive challenges, fostering social connections, maintaining a balanced diet, prioritizing quality sleep, and considering holistic health—can collectively contribute to keeping your brain sharp as you age. And don’t forget to laugh—it’s a key ingredient in navigating the changes that come with aging.

Source: Voneta M. Dotson, neuropsychologist and professor of gerontology at Georgia State University. Her book is “Keep Your Wits About You: The Science of Brain Maintenance as You Age.”

According to aging experts, while extreme measures like transfusing young blood may not significantly extend human lifespan, adopting simple behaviors can help people live healthier for longer, potentially reaching ages like 80, 90, or even 100 in good physical and mental condition. These practices include:

1. **Exercise Regularly:** Staying physically active is crucial, reducing the risk of premature death, maintaining heart health, and preventing chronic diseases. Even moderate exercise, like walking for 150 minutes per week, can be beneficial.

2. **Eat Healthily:** Experts recommend consuming more fruits and vegetables, reducing processed foods, and adopting dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet, known for its heart and brain health benefits.

3. **Prioritize Sleep:** Quality sleep is essential for healthy aging, with a correlation between sleep duration and longevity. Seven to nine hours of sleep per night is generally recommended.

4. **Avoid Smoking and Excessive Drinking:** Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake are well-known practices for avoiding deadly diseases and promoting longevity.

5. **Manage Chronic Conditions:** Many adults have conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and pre-diabetes. Lifestyle changes, along with following doctor’s advice and medications, can help control and prevent these conditions.

6. **Nurture Relationships:** Psychological health is as important as physical health. Isolation and loneliness can have detrimental effects on health, so maintaining social connections is vital for both physical and mental well-being.

7. **Cultivate Positivity:** Positive thinking and optimism have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and increased lifespan. Optimists tend to adopt healthier habits and have lower rates of chronic diseases.

While all these practices contribute to a longer, healthier life, prioritizing physical activity and maintaining a positive mindset are particularly highlighted as essential steps toward longevity. Ultimately, there’s no magic pill, but adopting these behaviors can lead to a longer and more fulfilling life.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/04/well/live/live-longer-health.html

Exercise in older age is high on the agenda, but the idea that with age comes bags of time and a desire to ‘get out there’ isn’t true for a lot of us.

How do you juggle exercise around caring for partners, grandchildren or staying in work?

What if you haven’t exercised for years? What can your body take, and how has it changed with age?

James Gallagher hears how octogenarian athlete ‘Irongran’ keeps going, he explores the mental and physical barriers that stop us exercising and he finds out what he might feel like in 40 years as he pulls on an ageing suit.

BBC Link