Just as your body needs exercise to stay healthy, so does your brain, says Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., chief director of the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas. Because of neuroplasticity, the ability to grow new neural pathways at any age,
doing things that stimulate different networks is key. Here's how to cross-train your brain.
Make real-life plans.
Live human interaction has multiple benefits, including preventing isolation (which carries a host of health risks). Make a date to try something new with a friend, such as taking a painting class or seeing a play. Everything from planning where and when to
meet to making conversation and learning new things feeds your brain, says Agenor Limon, Ph.D., an associate professor at Mitchell Center for Neurogenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch.
Hit the dance floor.
Whether it’s country-and-western line dancing or a Bollywood dance class, moving your body to choreography gives you the double benefit of aerobic exercise (which gets blood flowing to the brain) and memorizing steps (which will help keep your neurons firing).
Turn off your GPS.
Use an old-fashioned map rather than having AI direct you. You’ll keep your brain flexible, and you may even find a café or art gallery you’d otherwise miss.
Test your hearing.
If you’ve been saying “Sorry, can you repeat that?” a lot lately, consult with an audiologist. Hearing aids are tiny and available OTC these days! A hearing boost has been shown to help keep the brain stronger as people age.
Stop multitasking.
Recent research suggests that doing several things at once may be detrimental to memory. In fact, it shows that using more than one media device at a time makes it harder to encode new memories, and that’s true at all ages.
