The Importance Of Keeping Mentally Agile As You Grow Older To Avoid Dementia
Where did I leave the car keys? Did I turn the cooker off? I’ve come upstairs and now I’ve forgotten what I was going to do. What’s the name of my daughter’s friend, it’s on the tip of my tongue?
—-
It’s reasonable to say that we all have ‘moments’ where we forget something and our mind goes blank. Tiredness, stress or being busy can all contribute to our cognitive recall not being as snappy as usual.
The decline in cognitive function has long been considered an inevitable part of ageing, along with grey hair, and aches and pains. Our brains, just like our muscles, can decline with age, especially after giving up work when our usual levels of mental requirement suddenly cease. But, just as effort invested in training muscles will ensure strength and benefits long into old age, training your brain like a muscle will ensure mental agility and has been shown to reverse ageing and cognitive decline.
‘Use it or lose it’ is a common phrase for a reason.
Many people fear dementia and loss of memory function as they age but there are many things that we can do to keep mentally fit, active and in some cases even hold back illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“Keeping your mind active is likely to reduce your risk of dementia,” said the Alzheimer’s Society.
How can older people keep mentally agile and reduce the risk of dementia?
Try and maintain a healthy balance of physical exercise, eating a healthy diet, meditation, learn something new, socialise or take up the amazing hobby of dancing.
