Aging research has shown that we have to use our brains to keep them functional. As we age, we all have our “senior moments” where we are looking for the glasses that are on our heads or forget what we just came into a room for. As we age, forgetfulness happens! Of course, when progressive memory loss and confusion begin to affect everyday life skills, then these symptoms go beyond the norm. Brain atrophy begins in middle age. Just like other muscles in our body, as we age, we use it or lose it. That’s why participating in quiet activities that actually build brain cells is a better idea than just being a couch potato, no matter what size the potato!
Not only is our brain what we eat, it is what we think! Staying mentally active as we age not only keeps us from losing brain cells and connections, but actually help build new ones! The term lifelong learning is not just a phrase to use to torture recent college graduates, but a reality if we are to stay mentally sharp rather than experience dotage.
Brain activities
If enrolling in a computer or Spanish class seem like a little too much, begin with some of these brain-building activities:
- Lose the calculator. Next time you balance your check book, do it in your head or on paper. Figure the tip in you head at the restaurant.
- Keep the grocery list hidden. Visualize your refrigerator and pantry to see what’s in stock. Just before checking out, check your list to see if you’ve remembered everything.
- Do crosswords and word jumbles daily.
- Play Sudoku. This number puzzle has quite a following and is apparently addictive.
- Play board games and word games.
- Learn a new word or Bible verse a week. Review these as a family each day.
- Recite the alphabet backwards until you are proficient. Try this exercise three times a day until you can do the backwards version as quickly as the regular version. This takes work!
- Read riddle books and try to solve them. These also make good party ice breakers.
- Get organized! Keep your keys in the same place each day. Clean your desk. Straighten your closet. When your life is organized, you spend less time worrying about where things are and other details that cloud the mind. Just the process of organizing will clear your mind. Take up a hobby that forces you to think outside the box. Some examples include learning a foreign language or sign language. Learn how to read music. Make certain to incorporate the newly acquired information into your lifestyle.
- Listen to a different kind of music than usual.
- If you walk or jog, find a new route.
- Write some poetry.
Think of other creative ways to exercise your brain. The point is to just do it-get mentally active. All the information anyone could ever want about board games, card games, puzzles, brain teasers and all manner of fun can be found at a bookstore or on the Internet –and a good amount can be found in the daily newspaper.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
