Insights
the blog of Porter Hills
Keeping Your Brain Sharp
Leah Schmidt
Speech-Language Pathologist
Marywood Health Center
Watch the WZZM13 Senior Wellness Segment on this topic.
What physical activities keep your brain sharp?
Social interaction is important in maintaining cognitive function. Hearing loss can lead to isolation in social situations, which in turn may negatively affect brain function. Other evidence-based recommendations for keeping your brain sharp include:
- Exercise regulary
- Get enough sleep
- Control high blood pressure
- Limit alcohol intake
- Eat a balanced diet
- Avoid smoking
What are some mental activities can we participate in to keep our brain sharp?
There is no sure-fire way to delay cognitive loss. However, there are strategies you can use early on so that if cognitive loss progresses, these habits are already in place.
- Keep a calendar that you refer to daily
- Keep important items in the same place
- Start a memory journal
- Develop functional routines
- Solve crossword puzzles, sodoku and other brain teasers
Is it important to use this strategies as a whole approach?
Yes. The combination of physical and mental activity along with social engagement is more effective than any one factor alone.
