Do you suppose you’re too previous to develop further mind cells? Suppose once more! In AARP Virginia’s Six Pillars of Mind Well being program, introduced nearly by AARP Virginia Group Ambassador Rebekah Dailey, attendees discovered how they’ll take cost of their mind well being and enhance their high quality of life at any age. All through this interactive presentation, attendees shared details about what they’re doing to assist preserve their brains wholesome.
The Six Pillars presentation relies on present mind analysis, vetted by AARP’s World Council on Mind Well being and AARP’s Staying Sharp program. Via this analysis, six way of life pillars that help mind well being had been recognized:
1. Interact Your Mind
2. Keep Socially Engaged
3. Handle Stress
4. Train
5. Get Restorative Sleep
6. Eat Proper
Dailey defined that mind well being is extra necessary than ever for a number of causes. As we stay longer, the chance for cognitive decline will increase. Consequently, we need good well being to get pleasure from these additional years and experiences. Persons are additionally rethinking conventional ideas of retirement, with many both persevering with careers longer or beginning new ones, due to both private or financial causes.
As a result of we live longer, rising well being care prices are a priority, giving us further incentive to be wholesome longer. Lastly, present analysis exhibits a brain-healthy way of life can optimize our likelihood of sustaining cognitive well being.
The primary pillar is Interact Your Mind or study new issues. This doesn’t have to be educational studying however as an alternative discovering methods to stimulate the mind by staying curious, pursuing new pursuits, and difficult your considering. A number of the examples given by attendees embody studying, taking lessons, studying a musical instrument or language, and training complicated crafts.
The second pillar is Be Social or keep socially engaged. Research present that folks with good social networks stay longer and are bodily and mentally stronger than those that are socially remoted. Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed some limits on in-person social interactions, it’s nonetheless potential to remain engaged with household, buddies, and the neighborhood nearly, thus avoiding isolation. Attendees said they take digital lessons or work together repeatedly on-line with relations and buddies. Some have interaction in enjoyable actions like on-line guide golf equipment or recreation nights. Different methods to really feel much less socially remoted embody adopting a pet or doing pet sitting.
AARP presents a number of free sources to assist folks keep social. Volunteering is a good way to fulfill and assist others, and AARP’s Create the Good volunteer website presents many alternatives, together with these that may be performed from dwelling. AARP’s Virtual Community Center has all kinds of on-line interactive occasions and lessons, in addition to enjoyable occasions. And if you realize of somebody who’s feeling remoted or anxious, AARP’s Friendly Voice program may also help by having volunteers name to examine in or simply chat at common intervals.
Managing Stress is the third pillar. Stress administration consists of common train, smiling and laughing, distraction utilizing music and studying, and spending time open air in inexperienced areas. Different methods to handle stress embody confiding in buddies, quieting your thoughts, limiting display screen time, and taking deep breaths. Attendees added lengthy walks, yoga or Tai Chi, and meditation or prayer as methods to assist relieve stress.
The fourth pillar is Ongoing Train, which doesn’t need to be in depth offered motion is concerned. Consultants advocate at the very least 150 minutes of train per week, which will be damaged all the way down to half-hour per day, 5 days per week. Strolling for endurance is the simplest technique to begin, however you also needs to incorporate power coaching, flexibility, and stability actions into your train program.
Train is sweet for the mind and coronary heart, and it helps relieve stress. Analysis exhibits that bodily exercise helps restore and shield chemical substances within the mind, improve circulation, scale back nervousness, enhance sleep, and scale back the chance of diabetes, coronary heart illness, despair, and stroke.
When you ought to discover an exercise you get pleasure from, it is very important speak to your well being care supplier earlier than beginning any new train program.
Along with strolling, concepts for average cardio train embody dancing, operating, or biking. Some attendees talked about they get pleasure from swimming and Zumba. It’s also necessary to do power coaching to assist tone and strengthen muscle mass. Actions comparable to yoga or Tai Chi assist with stability and adaptability.
Restorative Sleep, the fifth pillar, is necessary to mind well being as a result of it restores the mind and is crucial to general psychological and bodily well being. Most adults want 7-8 hours of sleep in a 24-hour interval. Set and follow an everyday sleep-wake schedule, even on the weekends. Expose your self to pure (out of doors) gentle through the daytime, and keep away from tv, cell telephones, and different electronics previous to going to mattress. Keep in mind that sleep patterns change as we age; older adults expertise extra interrupted sleep and will awaken or get sleepy sooner than youthful folks. Hearken to your physique and alter your patterns as wanted.
A number of the ideas posted by attendees included preserving the sleeping room cool or utilizing black-out curtains. Some meditate or drink heat milk to assist them sleep. Different ideas embody preserving pets out of the bed room and avoiding caffeine.
The sixth pillar is Consuming Proper. What you eat has a huge impact in your mind. A brain-healthy food regimen consists of much less meat and sweets plus consumption of extra fish, nuts, beans, grains, leafy inexperienced greens, and wholesome fat like olive oil. Suggestions of wholesome consuming plans for good mind well being embody the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Cease Hypertension) diets. Along with the meals talked about, consuming entire berries and substituting salt with vinegar, lemon, or herbs and spices additionally help mind well being.
Different ideas from attendees had been to eat entire meals and keep away from meals which can be processed. Growing recent greens, consuming Greek yogurt, and oatmeal had been additionally talked about.
What are the dangers to mind well being? Incorporating the six pillars into your way of life are among the many actions you possibly can take to keep away from these dangers.
- Smoking will increase the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke. For those who smoke, attempt to cease or in the reduction of.
- Despair doubles the chance for cognitive decline. Keep in mind that despair shouldn’t be a traditional a part of getting older. When you have despair signs, search assist out of your well being care supplier.
- Sure medicines, together with antihistamines, sleep aids, and a few antidepressants, have been proven to extend the chance of dementia. Discuss to your well being care supplier about medicines you are taking, together with over-the-counter merchandise.
- Diabetes damages blood vessels all through the physique, together with the mind. It additionally will increase the chance of coronary heart illness, reminiscence issues, and Alzheimer’s illness. Discuss to your well being care supplier about methods to stop diabetes or to maintain your diabetes beneath management.
- Coronary heart illness will increase the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke. Your well being care supplier name let you know in case you are in danger.
As we age, it’s regular to have reminiscence points, however there are a number of issues we are able to do to assist enhance reminiscence.
- Set up a routine, together with at all times placing issues like keys and glasses in the identical place.
- Take note of belongings you wish to bear in mind. This might embody repeating to your self a job it is advisable to do, like getting garments out of the dryer, to stop being distracted by different issues.
- Keep away from multitasking. It’s higher to concentrate on one factor at a time. Write down a listing of issues to do, examine it usually, and follow it.
- Take breaks. Rigidity and stress are related to reminiscence loss and managing stress may also help enhance reminiscence.
- Use calendars, reminders, and alarms. The thoughts is for having concepts, not holding them. Clear your thoughts and let these instruments do your work.
Dailey concluded the presentation by encouraging attendees to include the six pillars into their each day routines, even when they begin by taking small steps. She additionally offered further mind well being sources:
The Six Pillars of Brain Health presentation is on the market on AARP Virginia’s YouTube Channel.
When you have questions on mind well being otherwise you’re enthusiastic about studying extra, tune in to our upcoming Facebook Live broadcast on Dec. 7 at 7pm. Deliver your questions and listen to from specialists within the area of mind well being!